Blame it on the alcohol
by Vslayer
Summary: After a well deserved night out drinking, Maura and Jane wake up in bed with each other, naked, and without any memory of what happened the night before.
1. We did what?

**A/N: So, this was suppose to be a one shot. Just a little something something I thought up while asking myself how these two completely gorgeous women, who obviously have the hots for each other, would come out and admit it.**

**I might make it a 2-shot, as many of you has suggested it.  
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**Disclaimer:** **I don't own the characters in this story, nor do I own Rizzoli and Isles (sadly).**

**Thanks for the reviews, I'm really glad you all like it. :)**

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><p>Maura opened both of her tired eyes carefully, the foggy hazel orbs darting around the room. A confused expression contorting her usually soft features. She knew she wasn't in her room, or in her house for that matter. Thought what scared her was what she didn't know.<p>

Somehow, she had magically appeared in a bed with no recollection of how and why she ended up in this predicament. The pounding in her head, and the dryness of her mouth indicated that alcohol might have been the culprit in this particular situation.

Maura slowly, and with great tentativeness, turned her head to see the other motionless, but very alive body that occupied the bed with her. She dreaded having to find that the occupant was a man she didn't know, or worse, a co-worker. Maura's eyes nearly bugged out of her head as she examined the occupant's massive mound of dark curly hair cascading down the back of a slender, yet curved body half hidden under the off white bed sheets. "Jane?" She exclaimed, electing a very quiet groan from the other woman, yet not waking her up.

Was this all that bad? She would rather wake up next to her best friend with an alcohol educed short term memory loss, than with a complete stranger. Her head snapped sideways, her slightly glazed stare falling on the woman beside her once more. _She's naked_. The realization hit her like a punch to the ovaries. _Jane's naked, in bed. In her bed, which I am also occupying._

Slight terror and nervousness settled in Maura's stomach, seeming to churn her insides up as she sat up on the comfy surface, clutching to the sheets on her chest as to not expose her completely naked torso. She looked down at herself, peaking underneath the covers. _Dear God_. Scratch that, completely naked body. Her mouth opened from shock. "Dear God." Maura said, out loud this time. Her voice roughened from sleep, or lack of it. _I am naked, in a bed, with Jane, my best friend Jane, who is equally naked...Oh God!_

"Jane, wake up." Maura tried, but the detective simply shifted in her sleep, lifted her right arm, and placed her hand over her friend's mouth, which seemed to be making too much noise for her liking. She frowned as she looked down at the hand covering her mouth, finding the gesture quite rude. Maura pushed the brunette's hand away before trying to wake her up one more time.

"Jane, please, wake up." She tried more forcefully, desperation in her tone. This time she was rewarded with a groan, and an incomprehensible mumble. _The hard way it is. _ "JANE THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE!" She exclaimed, recreating panic and fear in her voice the best she could.

Jane woke up with a start from her face down position on the bed, both of her arms supporting her upper body. "Wha? What's happening? Why are you screaming?" Jane groaned in annoyance, her deep voice taking a less than friendly tone with the woman responsible for waking her up from the peaceful slumber.

Maura couldn't help the soft chuckle that escaped her lips as she watched a semi-awake Jane jerk up with one eye open, pillow lines imprinted on the side of her face and a cute confused look accompanied by the wildest bed hair the woman had ever seen.

"What's so funny?" Jane asked, clearly annoyed. It wasn't enough that she woke her up, but the rude awakening worsened the headache that settled in the back of her skull. _What the hell happened last night?_ The woman turned to lay on her back, letting out a yawn as she rubbed her eyes with the palm of her hands. She stopped suddenly, feeling her best friend's eyes on her, whom had still not answered her question.

The Detective turned to look at her with a frown. "What? Oh my God, Maura. Why are you naked?" Jane's voice changed from deep, to high pitched in less than a millisecond as her eyes caught a glimpse of the bare woman beside her. Maura couldn't answer; she had no answer, and simply pointed at her best friend.

Jane arched an eyebrow, and looked down at herself, picking up the bed sheet on her chest with her thumb and index finger, tilting her head slightly as she peaked under. "No..." She breathed out in bewilderment. She turned to look at Maura, a pleading look on her face. "No." She looked back down at herself in her birthday suit, then back at Maura. "No. Tell me we didn't..." The brunette trailed off, pleading her friend once more.

"I can't." Maura replied simply. "I do not have enough data to base any kind of theoretical hypothesis that we did or did not do anything." She stated. _Although, the evidence sure is pointing towards something rather than nothing._

Jane fell back down on the bed with an exasperated sigh, taking a pillow and covering her face with it. "How much did we drink?" She asked with a groan, her voice coming through muffled because of the pillow.

"Technically, we had to have ingested an equivalent of approximately 14 beers in a period of up to 4 hours to show signs of severe memory loss. Though, it would be hard to calculate the exact amount as a multitude of factors could affect this, such as our weight, the percentage of alcohol-" Maura's expertise opinion was cut short, as Jane held up her hand in an attempt to silence the Doctor, who frowned at this gesture. _Oh, this must have been a rhetorical question._ The woman concluded.

"No Googlemouth, not this early." Jane groaned again, her head still pounding. "Not with the headache I have." She sighed and peeled off the pillow from her face, starring up at the ceiling. If the world could just disappear this very moment that would be just perfect. She would rather be running after a heavily armed suspect with no weapon, than face the predicament that both women had seemed to put themselves in. _What in the world did I do to deserve this?_

"Cephalgia, commonly called headaches, are a result of dehydration of the parotid salivary gland situated below the occipital lobe. This often occurs after periods of heavy drinking." Maura confirmed with a nod.

No, Jane hadn't chose not to interrupt Maura because she didn't have the energy to, but as a result of what she was currently starring at with what one could only describe as horror. A piece of undergarment was dangling from one of the blades of the ceiling fan. "Okay, what is _that_ doing there?" The brunette shouted frantically, her hand pointing at the discarded bra like it was a baby alien from outer space.

Maura looked up at her red lace bra. "Odd. I wonder how that happened." She tilted her head, examining the piece of undergarment. She soon came to the conclusion that both of them must have been in a frantic state, or hurrying to undress themselves, maybe each other, for her bra to end up hanging off the ceiling fan.

"I don't wanna know." Jane replied. _I wish the world would open up and swallow me hole, I don't have time to deal with this._ Just as on cue, her prayers were answered as her phone rang. "Rizzoli." _Saved by the bell._

"And Isles." Maura added as she scooted closer to her best friend, making sure her voice was clearly audible to the person on the other end of the phone.

The Detective rolled her eyes. "We'll be right there." With that said, the woman closed her phone and dropped her head back on the bed with a sigh. "This day is getting better and better." She said with a fake smile.

Maura frowned slightly. "I'm not certain if I should be offended by that statement, Jane." She nudged her friend with her elbow, a small smirk playing on the corner of her lips.

"I'm not 'certain' you should even ask yourself that question, _Maura_." Jane replied using air quotes and emphasizing the woman's name for dramatic effect before she pealed the off white sheets from her body and stood up.

Jane began slipping on her work clothes, just as she finished buttoning her formal black pants, and slipped on her plain white button up shirt, she heard a struggle behind her. She turned around and witnessed a scene that made her sigh in annoyance, at first, then it was laughable, and finally, it turned out to be arousing.

Maura had slipped on a pair of Jane's boxer briefs, and stood in the middle of the bed, trying to get her bra. Annoyance because she always borrowed the brunette's underwear, amusing seeing as it was like watching a kid trying to grab a lollipop from someone taller than them, and finally, arousing due to the fact that Maura's breasts were free to move as they wished, due to the lack of support.

Jane simply stared at her best friend, her lips parted, and her brown orbs glued at the perky pink breasts. A familiar feeling sinked in, though, she had no idea if it was from being aroused, or being aroused because of Maura's nakedness. Shaking the thoughts from her head, and making her blush disappear, Jane quickly buttoned her shirt and hopped on the bed to offer her friend some assistance.

The taller woman effortless lifted one of her arms up in the hair, grabbed the distressed undergarment while she looked down at Maura with a smirk. "You're welcome." Jane quipped, offering the woman her bra.

"How very chivalrous of you." The doctor thanked her friend, giving her a sweet smile before she slipped the missing red garment on. Without thinking, she grabbed the collar of Jane's shirt, smoothing it down just like it was the most natural thing to do.

The detective stared at her friend with a small smile, raising an eyebrow at her behavior. Maura always did some odd things that caused her to question her friend's motives, which in turn made her question her own feelings towards the woman and gave her a headache. That is why being busy and working came in handy, she didn't have to think about what it meant, nor dwell on those feelings. Truth be told, the brunette was scared that relationship complications would ruin her friendship with Maura, and that was something Jane wasn't ready to lose.

"This is awkward isn't it?" Maura was the first to break the silence between the two women, who were still in the same position as a few minutes ago; standing inches apart, both of Maura's hands resting on top of the Jane's upper chest. She could clearly see, and feel, how tense her friend was because of their close proximity.

_I just woke up naked, next to you in my bed, with no idea what happened the night before. Oh and by the way, I have mixed feelings of how I feel about you. Yes, extremely awkward._ Was more what Jane wanted to say, but instead what came out was: "Yes, yes it is." In her normally hoarse voice.

"Okay." Maura replied, but made no effort to move. Instead, her features contorted in the cutest face possible as she stared at her hands on her friend's chest. _Is it possible I have romantic feelings for Jane? It would make sense, but I think a few experiments are in order to prove this thesis. Not to mention, I still have to prove we had sex, if we did, which I do not know yet. _

Jane cleared her throat. "I think we should head to work now, body waiting for us an all." She informed, desperately wanting to run away as far as she could from this tension so thick it was almost hard to breathe.

"Right, yes! Of course, let's go." Maura snapped out of her daze, smoothed down Jane's collar once more and let her hands fall on either side of her body. She waited for Jane to head out of the bedroom, before she gathered her clothes and made herself presentable for work, all at the same time as thinking which experiments will prove to be useful for her research.

The detective walked out of her bedroom, clipping her badge on her belt before lifting her eyes up in front of her. What she saw, for the second time this morning, made her wish she hadn't looked at all. Shattered wine glasses littered the kitchen floor, splashes of wine on the walls and on the couch. _Oh my God!_ She quickly slapped her hand over her mouth in shock as she continued starring at the mess with wide eyes. Lamps and paintings which decorated her home had also fallen on the ground. "Maura!" Jane called her friend, a frantic edge to her voice.

The doctor was so engrossed in her research plans that she hadn't heard Jane call her name. She walked out of the room smoothing down the front of her dress, bumping in her friend's back as she hadn't expected her to stand there, in front of the bedroom door, like a brick wall. She placed her hands on Jane's back to steady herself, her mouth parted open as she was about to question her friend's position, but she caught a glimpse of the carnage in front of them. She gasped, starring at Jane's home with the same shocked expression her friend was. "That does _not_ look good." Maura stated.

"Ya think?" The detective replied, still in shock. She turned around to look at her friend, her face contorted in a mix of confusion and anger, her voice taking a high pitch. "What the hell happened here?" She asked, waving both of her arms around frantically. She rested her hand on her forehead, closing her eyes and letting her hand slowly make its way down her face as she sighed. She crossed both of her arms against her chest. "I'll ask around, Korsak and Frost were with us last night." Jane reasoned. _Maybe they know something._

Maura nodded in agreement. "Good, I will see if I can put together a tornado clean up crew." She announced with a bright smile.

"Funny, when did you become a comedian?" Jane asked sarcastically, her face showing anything but amusement.

"Oh I was hardly joking Jane, we will need help to clean this mess. It's a complete disaster." Maura replied truthfully, already calculating that cleaning up will take an average of two hours, that is, if there wasn't any other hidden damages.

Jane closed her eyes, willing herself to remain calm. She grabbed her friend by the arm, dragging them both towards the front door, which had a nasty indent. "Let's go, Maura." _I am never drinking again._

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><p>Maura was sitting at her desk, working out the technicalities of the experiments on a note pad, only stalling her movements as she noticed some of her finger nails had reddish brown smudges. <em>Why haven't I noticed this before?<em> Frowning, she examined her fingers closer then lifted up her head. _This could be evidence. _

The woman stood up, wincing in pain as she realized just how sore her entire body was. She took off her lab coat, noticing light bruising that had appeared around her wrists. Greatly intrigued, Maura pushed the investigation further and unzipped her dress. There were other light bruising marks on both sides of her hips. _Interesting._ She thought, and measured the length of those bruises and noted them down on the note pad.

After zipping her dress back up and slipping on her lab coat, Maura collected a bit of the blood she had under her finger nails to conclude if it was hers, or someone else's, namely a tall and skinny brunette. _You are assuming again, it might be anyone's blood. _She gave the sample to one of her assistants, declaring it was for a side investigation and that she needed the results back as soon as possible.

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><p>"I what?" Jane exclaimed from her position sitting on the corner of a desk, eyes wide and mouth open as she starred at Korsak. She had been trying to work on their current case, but another mystery intrigued her more. Her former partner had told her that she flashed her badge at the bartender in an attempt to get free drinks for Maura and herself, eventually leading to getting them kicked out. "Oh my God." Jane breathed out in horror, this couldn't be more embarrassing.<p>

"You and Dr. Isles took a cab together and left." He offered with a shrug, leaving out the part where the two women seemed to have been really cozy together the entire night, but Vince figured it must have been the alcohol and it's not like the two never acted touchy feely. "That's all I know Jane, I swear." The detective defended, lifting both his hands up in the hair, palms towards the brunette, before setting them down on the desk again.

Jane slumped forward and rubbed her forehead, her whole back and neck area was radiating with pain, which only made her pounding headache worse. Sighing deeply, the woman stood up and patted Vince's shoulder. "Thanks Korsak. I guess I should start working that new case." He nodded and she sat down at her desk, slowly sipping the now Luke-warm coffee. "Does anyone have Advil? I'd take two, or a dozen...maybe the whole bottle." Jane said as she slumped forward on her desk, head down hidden in her arms. Frost and Korsak shared a knowing look and chuckled, shaking their heads.

The vibration from her phone motivated Jane to lift her head up from her desk, but only slightly, turning her head sideways so she could still rest it on her arm. She fetched her phone from its case, cosily nestled on her hip, next to her Glock, and lifted it up. It was a text from Maura, she wanted Jane to meet her in her office. Without uttering a single word, Jane gulped down her coffee and took the elevator down to the medical examiner's office. She entered the office and closed the door behind her.

"Lock the door, and will you close the blinds also?" Maura asked without lifting her head, attentively examining the results from the blood sample she had provided.

Jane cooperated with her friend's request before throwing herself on the couch, wincing as an unexpected pain shot around her shoulders. She shrugged the pain off, lying down with one hand behind her head. _Man, this couch is comfy._

Maura's head snapped up, sending a glare at the woman occupying her luxury furniture. "Jane," She began, her tone scolding; as if asking why she would do such a thing. "That is a Swavorski sofa. Do not put your shoes on it." She finished assertively.

The brunette rolled her eyes and kicked off her boots on the floor. "Happy?" Jane asked with a gesture of her free hand, lifting her head up to glance at her friend, receiving an honest answer in return.

"Yes." Maura replied, narrowing her eyes at Jane before turning her attention back to the file on her desk.

Jane frowned. "What are you looking at?" She asked curiously.

"DNA results." The doctor replied simply.

"From?" Jane asked slightly raising her voice; hating having to ask all these questions when one sentence from Maura could have answered all of these.

"Blood samples." She answered, closing the file and noting the results on the note pad, un-bothered by Jane's questioning.

"Maura." Jane warned, becoming increasingly annoyed by her friend's short and literal answers.

The doctor pushed herself up and walked up to the couch, her expensive heels clanking on the floor witch each assertive step. "I discovered blemishes of blood under my fingernails-"

Jane interrupted her friend before she could say anything else. "So, you're a werewolf now?" She joked, smirking up at Maura. "And you just _assumed _it was blood? I'm proud."

Chuckling, Maura returned the smirk. However, she wasn't so successful in stopping the Wikipedia-like definition that so easily rolled off her tongue. "That is highly improbable and completely fictitious. However, there is a very rare condition called Hypertrichosis, or Ambras Syndrome, which is unusual hair growth that invades the subject's entire body."

Jane grimaced. "Fascinating. I don't know how I managed to live without that vital information." She replied sarcastically, flashing a small smile at Maura, letting her know she was just messing around as per usual.

Maura cocked her head, once again mirroring her friend's expression, smiling right back at her. "Stand up and take off your shirt." She commanded in a soft voice.

Yet again, the brunette frowned at best friend. "What? Why?" She asked, skeptical.

"Stand up." Maura repeated, grabbing Jane's wrist, prompting her to do as she instructed. "And take off your shirt." She continued matter-of-factly, crossing her arms over her chest as she starred the brunette down in a challenging manner.

Jane clenched her jaw, starring right back at her friend and mimicking her seemingly menacing stare. She placed both of her hands on her hips, telling herself that she will not budge until she receives a decent explanation.

The doctor sighed, exasperated, dropping both of her arms at her sides. "You," She stated, taking a step closer towards Jane and undoing the first button of her shirt. "are such," Then the second. "a baby." Maura finished, continuing to undo the other woman's shirt.

"Thanks, _mom._" Was the hostile reply that came from Jane, though there wasn't a hint of malice in her voice. In fact, she was starting to enjoy the feeling she got from Maura stepping in her personal space. A tingle starting in the pit of her stomach, as Maura's fingers brushed against her stomach, and slowly made its way down south. _Take a chill pill Rizzoli, a hot woman is undressing you, act cool will ya? Great, now I'm talking to myself._

Maura narrowed her eyes slightly, watching Jane's demeanor change faster than she could come up with a sarcastic comment. "Turn around." She demanded after she finished unbuttoning the brunette's shirt, smiling to herself as her friend did so without any bickering, nor any sarcastic remarks. She captured the outer edges of Jane's shirt, which required her to get on the tip of her toes to reach around the taller woman's shoulders, as she slid the piece of clothing down until her back was fully exposed.

Jane couldn't help the shiver than ran down her spine as Maura's delicate fingers ran across her neck to move her mass of messy hair on the other side of her shoulder. However, she hissed as her friend touched a sensitive spot. "Ow! Maura." She exclaimed, frowning as she turned her head to glare at her.

"Sorry." The doctor replied sheepishly in a small voice, looking at the woman apologetically.

"What is it?" Jane asked, turning her attention back to the wall littered with antiques.

"Minor lacerations, situated on either side of your shoulder blades." Maura explained, her hand resting in the middle of Jane's back, even though there was technically no need for it. Somehow, in the past ten minutes, she had discovered just how soft and warm her friend's skin was; and was thus drawn to it like a baby kitten seeking heat.

"Which means that..." Jane trailed off, gesturing with her hands, hinting that Maura should complete the sentence.

"The blood which I found turned out to be yours." Maura stated as she walked back to her desk.

"So you are a _beast_!" Jane exclaimed, laughing as she watched her friend pick up a ruler.

Maura's eyebrows scrunched into a puzzled expression. "You think I'm fat?" She asked Jane.

The detective made a face. "Yes, Maura, you are the fattest person I have ever laid my eyes on. I mean, how can your ass even fit through that door?" She retorted, using the most sarcastic tone she could muster.

"Better watch what you say missy." Maura warned, pointing her finger at Jane, though there was a smile on her lips. She moved towards her friend once more, taking Jane's hand in hers as she measured her fingers.

Jane blinked twice, looking at Maura like she just asked her if she wanted to smoke a gigantic joint. "What in the world are you measuring my fingers for? You don't have to prove I have man hands, I already know."

"Confirming my hypothesis." Maura replied honestly. She compared the measurements from her bruises with the numbers she just collected; they matched, off by only a few millimeters. "Mmm."

"What...what's that 'mm' for? You have that thinking face going on. Talk to me Maura." The brunette questioned, hands back on her hips as she carefully examined her friend's facial expression.

The doctor sat on the edge of her desk, setting the notebook in her lap as she looked up at Jane. "I can, without a doubt, justify that the evidence and the tests conducted prove that we in fact did engage in sexual intercourse last night. However, I couldn't pin point a specific time. " She stated, making a gesture with her hand as she expressed her disappointment for not being able to determine the time in which they engaged in said sexual intercourse.

"What a drag." The brunette quipped. "At least we know no one broke in my apartment." Jane couldn't help the smile that lifted the corner of her lips; she always thought Maura had the most adorable facial expressions, especially when she didn't understand something.

"Definitely not, no. We're the only ones who can be blamed for the mess." The doctor confirmed.

"Damn, and here I thought I could be excused of cleaning duty." Jane joked.

"I'll help Jane, it's as much my mess as it is yours." The doctor pressed her hand on her upper chest as she referred to herself, before letting both of her hands fall in her lap again.

The brunette smiled at her friend. "Thanks." She looked down at her exposed torso, a frown creasing her forehead. "What about...the other stuff? What do you think," She paused and looked up at Maura, raising an inquisive eyebrow. "Happened?" _Smooth, I wonder how you haven't swept her off her feet yet. Shut up. I should ask Maura if arguing with yourself is a sign of insanity._

"Well, if I would have to reproduce the scenario from the evidence...We entered your apartment with our blood alcohol content well over the 0.08% limit. My estimated calculations suggests it was around 0.152%." Maura replied easily, as if Jane had simply asked her what her name was.

Jane's mouth was slightly parted, baffled as to how Maura could make those calculations as quick as a calculator. "In other words, we were hammered." She retorted, he arms crossed over her chest.

"Precisely. We decided we weren't inebriated enough, one of us offered wine, the other said yes. Studies show it's harder to refuse an alcoholic beverage when feeling dazed, or tipsy. That influence is doubled the more people there are." She explained, a bright smile illuminating her face.

"That's wonderful Freud, wanna get on with the story?" Jane asked as she sighed, and rubbed her forehead, closing her eyes briefly.

Smiling inwardly that the detective knew about Freud, she continued with her explanation as requested. "Then one of us, most likely me, said or did something to engage an intimate interaction which lead to an intense making out session. Crashing into walls, taking off our clothes in a frenzy." Maura finished with few curt nods, as if she was agreeing with her owns statements.

The brunette chuckled slightly, smirking at Maura."You? And why would you assume you'd be making the first move Dr. Isles?" Jane asked, her voice slightly rougher than usual as she slowly started to move closer to her friend.

Jane's flirtatious tone wasn't lost on Maura. The detective was teasing, flirting, and that much was obvious to her. "Simple, I can't lie. And it's not assuming, technically, it's a fact." She replied with a wink.

"Go on." Jane pressed, inching closer towards Maura. Every step she took seemed to greatly increase her confidence in her actions. Not to mention the look of appreciation she received everytime hazel eyes fell on her.

"Judging from the bruises on my wrists, you had me pinned on the bed quite forcefully." Maura had great difficulty focusing on one thing, like a teenager with ADHD. Her eyes moved from Jane's lips, down to her slender neck, her chest and finally, her perfectly sculpted stomach before moving back up and starting the trajectory over and over until it felt like her head would explode.

Jane stopped when she stood inches away from Maura, taking the note pad from her lap and throwing it on the desk. "Like this?" She asked, taking hold of Maura's wrists and lifting them up above her head, just as the doctor had explained. Her voice seemed even deeper now, laced with everything she felt for her co-worker; want and need.

Maura's breath itched in her throat, not excepting the brunette to act this dominant without the help of the social nectar, a.k.a alcohol. "I-I also discovered bruises on my sides, which would indicate that at the moment of your climax, your hands were gripping my hips." She replied, startled by her slight stutter.

Her eyes snapped up to stare into big brown orbs, her breath slightly shaky as she felt Jane's warm hands on her hips, where they had previously been last night; and it felt right, like they belonged there. "My hands would have been on your shoulders blades at this time, which explains the lacerations." Maura finished, sliding her arms around Jane's shoulders and resting her hands on the sore spot. She slightly added pressure, giving the brunette an invitation to move closer.

The barely there pain hadn't registered as the two women's intimate position had spurred on Jane's memory. Though, blurry, just like a dream, she could definitely figure out what they were doing.

_Her head was spinning, not only from the alcohol, but from the smell of the amazing expensive perfume Maura would always wear. Jane nuzzled her neck, kissing the sweat off the silky skin, slowly making her way up to the woman's jaw. She lifted her head up slightly, enough to be able to stare down at the goddess writhing with pleasure underneath her strong but slender figure._

_Everything about this exact moment felt right, their sweat clad skin moving against one another in the most delectable friction, Maura's perfect legs wrapped around her waist as her hands clutched around Jane's shoulders. The doctor opened her eyes, hazel staring into chocolate brown, breathless gasps mixing with each other in the thick air surrounding them; and suddenly it hit her like a ton of bricks._

_Ringing in her ears, their moans sounding further and further away and all she could do was grip what her hands were currently resting on, Maura's hips. Jane faintly heard her name being called, and it was like music to her ears. The pain hadn't registered there also, as Maura's nails dug and clawed at her shoulder blades. She let her head fall on the medical examiner's shoulder in an attempt to catch her breath as she let the high travel from her head to her toes. _

"_Wow." Was Maura's breathless exclamation that broke the silence and sent the two women in a fit of joyous laughter as they held on to each other._

The hazy memory disappeared, and Jane realized she had been staring into dark hazel eyes all this time, still as a statue. Her eyes suddenly grew darker as feelings from last night hit her like a kick in the stomach. Without thinking, she quickly lifted Maura's dress up, but just enough so she could pry her legs apart and deliberately settle between them.

Maura clutched to the brunette's shoulders, noticing the pupil dilation in the woman's eyes, making them seem almost completely black. "Jane...what are you?-" Maura's inquiries had been cut short, as she felt a finger pressed against her lips, stopping any other sounds from making its way out of her mouth.

"Shhh." Jane replaced her finger with her mouth, capturing Maura's lips with her own in a passionate kiss. She rested her hands on the doctor's upper thighs, under the dress; the kiss growing more intense as the women responded to each others' every movement, just like a beautiful choreographed dance. Lips tasting and tongue teasing.

Maura's hand trailed down Jane's exposed chest, especially paying attention on the muscular bumps that ridged the detective's stomach. One of her hand tangled in Jane's mess of dark hair, a low guttural moan filled the otherwise silent room. Though, Maura wasn't quite sure if it was Jane or herself who let out the sound of appreciation.

She slowly opened her eyes as she felt Jane pulled back when they both lacked oxygen. The smile on her face was better than a million words, reflecting just what she felt as she casually ran her thumb across Jane's lower lip.

The brunette couldn't help the love sick grin that graced her features as she tucked away a strand of Maura's hair behind her hear, resting her hand on the side of the woman's face, slowly gliding her thumb along her cheek. "You might have made the first move, but I was still top." Jane grinned victoriously.

"And your point? Other than inflating your ego, I don't know what else this could prove." Maura teased, both of her hands now resting on Jane's stomach. "You have spectacular rectus abdominus muscles." She pointed out, grinning at the brunette.

"Come again?" Jane asked with a frown, the medical lingo making no sense to her.

"Your stomach, you have well developed abs." Maura explained.

"Oh, yeah, thanks Doctor." Jane took a step back and buttoned her shirt, stuffing it in her pants. "You have, well developed..." She paused, eyebrows scrunching up as she thought of what to say. "Tongue muscles." Jane finished as she straightened the collar of the white blouse. _Did that even make sense?_ Well, the brunette wouldn't have to wait long for her answer, assured Maura would correct her.

Maura let out a soft laugh as she starred at Jane with a mixture of amusement and complete adoration. "Why thank you, I'm flattered."

"You know me, I'm a charmer." The detective retorted as bent over to pick up her boots and slip them back on.

"Yes, you are quite the Casanova, Jane." Maura replied, distracted, her head titled sideways as she starred at Jane's backside. _And a well proportioned gluteus maximums too. _

"Alright, well, I better get back to work before Frost and Korsak put a bounty on my head." Jane headed out of the office, holding the door open as she poked her head back in. "I-erm, I mean, _we _should solve another case like this." She paused, her eyes darting around the room, cursing herself for sounding so nervous, having somewhat lost her previous boost of confidence. "Soon."

The doctor was pleasantly surprised by her friend's request. "Are you asking me out on a date Detective Rizzoli?" Maura asked smiling.

"Maybe." Jane replied with a silly lovesick smile. She cleared her throat after she realized she was staring at Maura for more than a minute. "I'll see ya later Maur." She called out over her shoulder, leaving the door to the doctor's office slightly open.

"Later." Maura absently replied as she sat up and smoothed down the front of her dress. She let out a breath as her slender fingers worked the messiness out of her usually perfectly bouncy hair. "Wow...that was...wow." She cleared her throat as she picked up the file from their current case, having a hard time focusing now that previous events had left her mind doing overtime. Jane Rizzoli always managed to leave her breathless, not that she minded. In fact, she would be perfectly happy to stay to experience this everyday with the woman she so easily fell in love with.

Jane stood in the elevator, waiting for the doors to close to pump her fist in the air with excitement. "Yes!" She shouted in a deep voice, clapping her hands together before putting them behind her back as she waited for the elevator to stop, a grin plastered on her face, which she kept throughout the day.

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><p><strong>Thank you for reading! Chapter 2 is currently in production. ;)<strong>


	2. Dinner, Cannolis and a shooting

**A.N: Hey guys, I know it's been a long time coming but you know how college is, teachers like to dump all the big assignments on us at the same damn time. Well, hope you enjoy reading and thank you for all your great comment on chapter 1, you guys are awesome :)**

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><p>Jane sighed heavily, letting her shoulders fall in defeat as she stood in front of the very mirror that has been mocking her ever since she has been trying to find the perfect outfit for her date tonight. She hadn't planned on going anywhere that had a formal dress code, but she wanted to impress Maura. She wanted to show the fashion expert that she could put together a great outfit without any help from her mother.<p>

Jane made a face at her reflection, sticking out her tongue. For reasons unknown to mankind, nothing she tried on even came close to being adequate for her first date with Maura. Sure, both women had known each other for two years now, and learned about each other in the process, yet the detective was still nervous. _This isn't the same, it's a date. There are date-like expectations that Maura will most likely be looking for. Hell, I might bore her to death. _

Jane knew, at least from her personal experience, that she had never came close to causing death by boredom to anyone, especially Maura. Sometimes, nervousness wins over, and it was definitely close to landing a K.O punch on the brunette. _Get yourself together Rizzoli._ Taking off the latest shirt she tried on, Jane walked to the bathroom, hovered over the sink as she splashed water on her face. _It's just a date, nothing more. _No matter how many times she repeated this in her head, the brunette couldn't let herself believe it. It wasn't _just _a date. _It's Maura, and I love her._

The detective made her way back into her room after drying off her face, staring into her closet, which was a complete mess, with a defeated expression. She rubbed one hand on her face and closed her eyes for a second. _This sucks, I should call Ma_. Even though Jane seriously did not want to resort to that, she felt like there were no other options left. When she re-opened her eyes, the brown orbs caught a glimpse of something that might possibly restore her faith in the Date God; a dark blue button up shirt that her mother had bought her a few months ago. _Why did I never wear this? Maybe because you were waiting to wear it on a date with Maura. Oh, you're such a charmer. And there I go again, talking to myself._

Jane picked up the article of clothing and slipped it on, all at the same time, her eyes caught a glimpse of the small package of fudge clusters on her bed. She smiled to herself, remembering how she asked Maura out two days ago.

_Both women were standing on either side of the autopsy table, examining a body they had discovered a few hours prior. Jane had her arms crossed over her chest, as she watched Maura dig into the body's open torso. "So, cause of death Maur?" She asked impatiently, even more so than usual. Though, something else was causing the woman to be this impatient. She had finally gathered up enough confidence to ask her friend out on a date after waiting for three days. Jane would have asked Maura out right after their little drunken sexcapade, but she didn't want to seem desperate and make the other woman run for the hills._

"_I'm not quite sure yet." Maura replied, craning her head to get a better view of the crimson colored insides. "There's no external wound, I'll have to dig deeper, so to speak, to locate exactly what killed him." She explained. Frowning, she looked up at Jane who seemed to be deep in thought. She was biting the corner of her lip and kept switching her weight from her right leg to her left leg. "You're fidgeting." Maura remarked. "Is something causing you stress?" She asked, redressing herself so she was standing straight, lifting both of her blood coated hands up at chest height. _

_Jane stopped all her movements immediately, her eyes locking with Maura's concerned gaze. "I..." Seemingly lost all of her articulate skills, she groaned loudly as she let her head fall back and closed her eyes. "Why is this so hard?" She asked no one in particular, voicing her thoughts as she straitened her head and placed her hands on the occupied autopsy table, palms resting on the cold metal. _

_A perplexed expression graced Maura's features, creasing her otherwise smooth forehead. "What's hard Jane?" She asked in a soft tone._

_Jane couldn't help but smile at her friend's concern. And she thought a bullet wouldn't be the death of her, wrong. Maura's cuteness will. Even covered in blood she still managed to make Jane's heart do a series of back flips. "Never mind." She straightened up, locking eyes with Maura again. "Are you free Friday?" Jane asked. "This Friday, I mean." She specified, not that she needed too; frowning at herself when she realized it wasn't needed. She crossed her arms over her chest again, feeling suddenly nervous, which was probably the cause of her nervous babbling. _

_Maura chuckled slightly and smiled at the brunette. "Are you asking me out on a date over a dead body?" She teased, mimicking Jane's voice._

"_When else am I going to do it?" Jane said while making a face and attempting to mirror her friend's voice, as smirk playing on her lips. _

_Both women burst out laughing at the memory; Maura was the first one to recover from the fit of laughter, pretending to be offended by Jane's impression of her voice. However, the detective couldn't stop thinking of that suit Maura wore that day during the baseball game between the homicide and drugs department. It looked silly, but she had to admit the doctor's buttock looked spectacular in it. _

_Here you have the two very alive women, and between them is death; tragic death that surrounds them every day. Yet, they don't let this sombre fact keep them from giving each other every ounce of their love and living life the way they should; without any regret._

"_It'll be my pleasure Jane. I've been waiting for you to ask me." Maura confessed, her voice softer than usual, trying to hide the blush that crept up her face by digging back into the body's carcass. "Mmm." She pulled out the heart. "Cardiomegaly. We might have a winner." Maura commented as she smiled at Jane, lifting both of her eyebrows briefly at her discovery._

_Jane stared at the doctor. "No idea what that is." She replied truthfully and they both smile at each other briefly, before going back to work._

For the first time in the hour long period Jane had been trying on clothes, the mirror actually decided to agree with her. The pair of black jeans with a straight leg cut hugged her slender and long, yet strong legs perfectly. The bottom of the jeans fell onto the low top sneakers in a fashion that wasn't too young for her age, but not too old either. The blue button up shirt, which was outside of her pants, accentuated the dark color of her jeans as well as her messy hair. The only accessory Jane willed herself to wear was her silver wrist watch; anything else would have been unnecessarily annoying to the brunette. Rolling up her sleeves, she took one last look at her before setting a pair of Ray-Bans on her head, grabbing her car keys and walking out of her apartment.

Her nerves jumped like a pack of butterflies on crack had invaded her stomach, and it only got worse when she arrived to Maura's house. Jane had planned on taking the doctor to Boston's historic Italian district, North End. This neighbourhood housed some of her favourite things, such as pizza and cannoli's, which she had every intention of sharing with her date. That is, if she can get there without having a cardiac arrest first.

Jane parked her Ford in front of Maura's house, mentally coaching herself as she made her way through the court yard and up to the front door. _You can do this, just...be you._ She sighed, juggling the pack of fudge clusters from one hand to the other as she waited for her friend to open the door. As it opened, she quickly hid the chocolates behind her back and put on a smile.

"Hello Jane." Maura greeted, her eyes roaming over the taller woman's body appreciatively. "You look great in blue." She pointed out with a smile, stepping aside as to let Jane come inside.

Jane briefly looked down at herself, her head snapping up as the compliment registered in her brain. "Yeah...thanks! You look-" She said slightly too enthusiastically and paused as she stepped in the house. Jane took a good look at her friend, as she closed the door behind them, taking in the glow Maura seemed to give off. Or maybe that was just the insanely high price tag Jane imagined came with the outfit. "You look, amazing, Maura." The brunette finally verbalized.

The doctor smiled brightly, smoothing her hand down the black dress and placing her hands on her hips, down past the thin belt accentuating her waist. "Thank you. It's Christian Dior. Made in France of imported fabric, 95 % silk, 5 % elastane with a silk lining." Maura explained, all at the same time as making a show out of it, making a full 360 degree turn. There was no doubt she could compete with any model from Vogue as she made a runway pose at the end of turn, raising her eyebrows as to emphasize the show.

The detective stood with both of her hands behind her back, still camouflaging the treat she had brought Maura. Jane had enjoyed the little show, but it's safe to say she appreciated the woman's curve more than the piece of garment the other woman had on. Maura wasn't wearing the dress, the dress was wearing her. "Isn't that a perfume brand?" Jane asked with a frown.

Maura nodded, taking a step closer towards Jane. "Yes. They also make shoes, purses, clothes..." She explained with slow and gestures of her hands, which were both garnished with diamonds.

Jane chuckled. "Okay, I get it. Christian is a diversified woman." She tilted her head, mimicking her friend's movements as she too, took a step closer.

"It's a man Jane." Maura corrected with a small smile, becoming increasingly distracted by Jane's perfume. Barely there, yet sweet; intoxicating. Her hands were itching to simply touch the other woman.

Jane's smile disappeared and she raised an eyebrow, looking behind Maura's shoulder briefly. "Right, I knew that." She said, hardly having time to get the words out before Maura's arms wrapped themselves around her shoulders and a pair of soft lips pressed against her own. They both smiled into the kiss. Jane's had a hard time focusing her eyes as she pulled back and slowly opened them to star at the beautiful woman in front of her. "Damn woman, kissing before the first date?" She teased, her voice already deeper than usual.

Maura cocked her head sideways, one hand settled on Jane's shoulder, the other on her face, tracing her jaw line. "Well, Jane we..." She trailed off, the emotions swirling in Jane's eyes telling her that the brunette knew what Maura wanted to say, almost as if she was reading her mind. _Mind reading has proven to actually exist, but it should really be called body reading._

"I know." Jane replied. They're best friends and they know each other better than anyone else. Hell, they even slept together. _Drunk, but it still counts, right?_ Every normal rule of dating would probably be abolished between the two women. Jane isn't disappointed though, it's not like they needed to get to know each other, they already did. "Oh, I got you, erm...chocolate." Jane snapped out of her thoughts, lifting the pack of fudge clusters up and dangling it between her fingers.

Maura took hold of the chocolates with one hand, the other one pressed against her upper chest as a warm smile appeared on her face. "How sweet of you." She gave Jane another quick kiss before turning to retrieve her purse from its sitting position on the kitchen island. She dropped the pack of fudge in it. _A little snack won't hurt._ "So, where are you taking me?" Maura asked, holding her thousand dollar purse in front of her with both of her hands.

"North End." Jane replied, walking towards the door "Are you ready for greasy pizza and fattening cannoli's?" She asked, trying to make the words sound sophisticated as she opened the door and offered her arm to Maura gallantly.

"More than I'll ever be. My digestive metabolism is still quite high, although in a few more years it's likely to decline faster. That's why it's helpful to maintain a healthy diet and work out two to three times a week." Maura explained as she made her way towards Jane, accepting her offer and slipping her arm around the brunettes'.

Jane rolled her eyes. "Alright Dr. Oz, let's go before our _metabolism_ gets any slower." She said, promptly tugging Maura out of the house.

"We're not taking...that car are we?" Maura asked as Jane's car came into view.

"Why? Don't you like my _luxury_ wheels?" Jane asked sarcastically.

Maura opened her mouth to speak, closing it right away as she tried to find the best words as to not offend Jane. "It's...detective...ish." _You're a pathologist and that's the best you can come up with?_ "We can take mine." She offered with a smile.

Jane stopped and looked at her with wide eyes. "The Mercedes?" She asked doubtfully. "Hell ya! The SLK is a bomb. V-6 engine with 300 horse power." The detective exclaimed enthusiastically. _I've been hanging with Frost way too much._ Jane thought as both women made their way to Maura's garage.

"I didn't know you were a car enthusiast, Jane." Maura said, as she opened the door separating them with a fine piece of machinery with a remote she fetched in her purse.

"It's not 'cause I don't know how the mechanics work that I don't know how to appreciate 'em." Jane explained, as she casually slipped her hands into her jeans pockets. Her eyes involuntary, or very voluntary, fell on her friend's backside while she followed Maura into the garage. Her head snapped up as Maura's voice broke the trance she seemed to have fallen in.

Maura turned around, staring into deep brown eyes with a knowing smile. "Would you like to drive?" She asked cocking her head in an inquisitive manner, dangling the car keys from her hand at shoulder height.

Jane didn't know how to answer that question, as if someone asked her a question about quantum mechanics. Although, she had been distracted by ogling Maura's junk. _And damn did she have the right junk in her trunk. Really, Rizzoli, junk in her trunk? Are you black?_ "Are you serious? You're serious." She glanced at the luxurious roadster then back at Maura with a look of shock on her face. Though, that look quickly changed to an overjoyed grin as she caught the keys that Maura threw her way.

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><p>The women had arrived to their location safely, which was a blessing in its own. Especially when Jane's road rage kicked into high gear, just like it had on the overpass a few minutes ago. It distracted both women to a point which they hadn't noticed the vehicle that had been following them since they had left. Boston drivers really got on the detective's nerves. Maura even had to intervene and calm the woman down a few times.<p>

"See? We should have taken the flat top, flipped open the cherries and drove past all the incompetent drivers." Jane said irritably with hand gestures as she stepped out of the car. She then proceeded with the display of gallant behaviour, trying to impress Maura, as she opened the passenger door for her.

Maura smiled at her friend's cliché and stereotypical behaviour, though it didn't prevent her from falling in love even more with the brunette, if that was humanly possible. "Wouldn't that be breaking some kind of police officer code of honour?" She asked with a concerned look as she took Jane's hand, who eased her out of the Mercedes.

"You mean taking my medical examiner on a date isn't official police business?" Jane quipped with a smirk.

"Well, it would suggest that the event of dissecting you alive on my table would be ethical."

Jane frowned, raising one eyebrow. "No, that would make you a _murderer_." She replied as both women walked towards the restaurant, which the detective had taken the liberty of making a reservation for, because little details with no importance are required...sometimes.

"Hence, not ethical." Maura pointed out matter-of-factly.

"What if we _pretend_ you're dissecting me, without clothes, and turn it into some kind of, kinky thing?" Pause, cue eyebrow raise. "That people do." She finished, the confused look on her face expressing her feelings towards her own awkward sounding sentence. Though, she shouldn't be worrying about how it sounded, when the content of it was an even more awkward subject of conversation for a first date.

"I can't decide if that's disturbing or arousing." Maura said, pursing her lips together whilst mulling over the scenario in her head.

Jane raised an eyebrow at her friend. "Well, don't think about it too much, it wasn't an offer."

Maura frowned, shaking her head slightly; confused. "Oh, then why-"

Jane cut her off, as it's become an instinctive habit to do so when her friend didn't get that she was simply messing around. "A joke, Maura, a joke." She explained.

"Decidedly so." The doctor said with a small smile, as if she was apologizing for not understanding Jane's second language; yes, sarcasm. Though, her brain wouldn't let go of the image Jane put in her head with the scenario, uncertain whether it did really turn her on or not._ Jane always falls for dares and bets. Her ego really gets the best of her sometimes. Something to look into. _The pathologist concluded.

Jane laughed at her friend, placing a subtle hand on Maura's lower back as they entered Regina Pizzeria. One of the best pizza's in Boston if you ask Jane, or any member of the Rizzoli family for that matter. Save from Angela, who always seemed jealous of the way her children preferred this pizza over hers.

One of the waiters walked the two women to their table, strategically placed in a corner of the restaurant as to be shielded from any wondering eyes and any human of the opposite sex with enough courage to interrupt their first date. Jane wouldn't have the patience for any interruptions, especially not if said interruption were trying to flirt with _her _date. _Me Jane, you Maura. Mine. Okay, I definitely need a CAT scan. _Now that she thought about it, Jane should have brought Maura's baseball bat as to ward them off. Then again, she had her badge securely nestled on a chain around her neck, which also works. _Shabow._

Maura looked over at Jane, who stood behind her and pulled back her chair, gesturing her to sit down. "This is so romantic Jane." The doctor said, as she took the offered seat.

"I wasn't kidding when I said I was a charmer." Jane had one hand on the front of her shirt, so her badge wouldn't clock Maura in the back of the head, as she leaned forward to whisper the words in the woman's ear.

"Cute." Maura commented, knowing exactly what kind of reaction it would have on the woman, but believing it to be a genuine observation nonetheless.

Jane threw her head back and made a face at Maura's comment. "Ugh, vomit. What did you just call me?" She asked, disgust contorting her features.

Maura frowned disapprovingly at the slight overreaction. "Why don't you just take the compliment and refrain from bickering about my choice of words." She offered while taking the napkin that was on the table and setting it in her lap as to protect her dress from any incoming food particles. After she made sure the major surface area of her dress was covered, she looked up at Jane and tilted her head pointedly; scrutinizing.

Jane understood Maura was very well mannered, but she began to feel like taking her to this simple pizzeria was a bad move on her part. "Well, your _choice _of words _are_ the source of my bickering." She quipped, crossing her arms over the table and leaning forward on them as she stared back into sparkling hazel eyes.

Maura looked elsewhere for a second, pondering, and then letting her eyes fall on the brunette in front of her once more. "I wouldn't say so. Bickering is a sign of hard headedness and self-consciousness often found in strong and willing individuals such as yourself." She explained, pointing at Jane with a smile at the last statement.

For the second time today, or third (Jane wasn't really keeping count), she was staring at her friend with a familiar blank expression. She blinked twice with her mouth partially opened, dumbfounded at how many facts that big brain can hold. "Wow, you _really_ know how to seduce a woman, don't ya? It's like I've been touched by an Angel." She replied sarcastically.

Maura let out a laugh. "Oh Jane." She said shaking her head while placing the cutlery in the right place, as the individual who had set the table had failed to do so. "Sarcasm is also another present component in strong characters." She deepened.

Jane tilted her head and raised one eyebrow. "Oh really?" She asked, waiting for the vomit of facts to come out of Maura's mouth.

The waiter interrupted them before Maura could even answer. "Ladies, would you like some wine while you wait for your pizza?" He asked, a thick, yet not annoying, Italian accent coating his words.

"I'll have a Samuel, summer ales. Please and thank you." Jane replied, looking over at him briefly.

Maura leaned forward in her chair slowly, as if she was going to ask a discreet and personal question. "You wouldn't, by any chance, have a Château Margaux 1995?" She asked, unaware of the face her date made at the request.

Jane didn't know what that was, but by the French name it sported, she figured it was expensive. She chose to keep quiet, well, partially. "Make that two Samuels, please and thank you." She said in a monotonous tone. This was now really looking like a bad idea. _Way to go, bringing Maura to this cheap place. This isn't her world, it's yours._

"I'm sorry ma'am, we only carry Italian wines. Would you to try the house favourite, a Cabernet Sauvignon?" The waiter looked genuinely sorry as he explained their 'wine situation' to the doctor.

"That sounds lovely. Thank you." Maura agreed with a curt nod of her head. She smiled at the waiter before he left; frowning as she noticed the look Jane was giving her. "What?" She asked, wondering what she had done wrong this time.

"We're in a pizzeria Maura, not at a fancy five star French restaurant that I can't pronounce, or have the money to pay for." She said the last part under her breath, but she was sure Maura had heard some of it.

"Correct. Although it's quite lovely here, the atmosphere is very..." Maura comment, pausing as she looked around. The restaurant, though not a five star, had a very alluring rustic feel: brick walls, a huge charcoal oven and wine displays all around the place. "Authentic." She finished, pleased with her choice of words, and who knows, this time maybe Jane will be too.

"So...you're not disappointed I didn't take you to a fancy _schmancy_ restaurant?" It's not like she had the choice, unless she wanted to become anorexic for one night and spend her week's pay for Maura's meal. Something told her this would be more enjoyable for both of them, or so she hoped.

Hearing Jane think she wasn't good enough for her made Maura's chest hurt. No, more accurately, it broke her heart. _How can she even think that? _She didn't like to think that because she was raised in a rich family that others had to act accordingly. "Of course not Jane. I am many things, but vain is not one of them."

Jane smiled back at her friend, however, their moment was crushed as the waiter brought the women their drinks. She looked down at the ice cold beer bottle idly sitting on the table beside her elbow. "I don't think I'll have too many of those tonight. Wouldn't want a repeat of last weekend." The detective's eyes went wide with fear with realization of how that sounded, stumbling on her words at Maura's hurt expression. "I mean, just the part where we were completely hammered and forgot everything." She winced slightly, but not from pain, from her poor choice of words, but also from hoping the doctor wouldn't take it the wrong way.

Maura slowly brought the wine glass to her lips, and right before sipping at it, she looked up at Jane with a smirk. "I know, I was just teasing." She confessed.

The brunette let out a chuckle and hung her head down momentarily, before lifting her big brown eyes to stare at the beautiful woman sitting in front of her. "I see how it is. Getting me back, huh?" She asked teasingly, grinning like an idiot as she placed her larger hand over Maura's tiny one.

"Hardly," Maura paused, glancing down at Jane's softhand completely covering her own, causing a small smile to light up her face. "But it's rather humorous to see that panicked look on your face."

"Well, I'm glad panic looks good, on it..." Jane replied with a frown, gesturing her hand in front of her face. She stopped and changed the subject immediately. "You're also amazing." Jane admitted, eying Maura with a cute love sick smile, squeezing the petite hand under her own.

Maura smiled even bigger. "And I thought I was the romantic one." She looked down at their joined hands once more, and squeezed back. "I truly think everything you planed for us is perfect, Jane." She admitted, taking another slow and deliberate sip of the wine.

"Stop," Jane stated, bringing the beer bottle to her lips as she looked at Maura with a slight frown. "You're gonna make me blush in public." The brunette knocked back the beer, taking a big gulp. _So much for not drinking, this beer is delicious._

"You blush? I had no idea." Maura replied sarcastically, trying to hide her smirk.

"Nice touch with the sarcasm, am I rubbing off on you?" Jane asked, lifting one of her fingers that was wrapped around the beer bottle, which is now dangling from her hand, holding on for dear life, to point it at her friend.

"Technically speaking," Maura paused, momentarily staring at the sealing as she sighed. "Not where I would like you to _right now, though_." She finished almost in a whisper, raising one of her eyebrows as her hazel eyes bored into chocolate brown ones.

Jane almost spit out her mouthful of alcoholised liquid at her friend's statement, but she managed to keep the situation under control by covering her mouth with her hand and tilting her head back. "I, am officially drooling in public." She set the half drank bottle down and pretended to wipe drool off of her mouth. Instead of ruining their moment, the waiter was surprisingly welcomed this time. Well, by at least one of the women. "Okay! Food. That's good. Keeping us occupied so we don't get arrested for public indecency."

"Aren't you going to use your law enforcer powers, Jane?" Maura teased as she thanked the waiter and waited for him to leave before properly placing the pizza, and both of their plates, in the exact middle of the table.

"Ignoring that comment. Eat your food smartass." Jane dismissed Maura's OCD behaviour and picked up two slices of pizza, setting them down in her plate with a not too sophisticated splat. "Man, _this is_ comfort food. My stomach was gonna eat itself." She commented, quickly digging in the greasy and delicious food.

Maura stopped herself in mid bite, having carefully wrapped the pizza in a napkin as to not stain her dress. "That's a common misconception, it will actually start to eat any remaining fat you have on your body-"

Jane closed her eyes and put up her hand to stop the Google definition from going further into detail. "Please tell me later Maura, we're eating. You _don't_ wanna have me puking here."

"That would be rude." A pause. "Towards the chef, I mean." Maura added.

"Right, well, on that note." Jane said as she wiped her hands and her mouth with a napkin before grabbing the neck of her bottle. "I propose a toast to..." She trailed off as she lifted the bottle up, trying to find something to actually toast too.

"First dates who aren't awkward, because we know each other well enough to enjoy each other's company in romantic settings." Maura finished for her while holding her wine glass up in front of her.

Jane waited a few seconds before making a decision. "Yes...what you just said." Jane agreed with a nod and a chuckled as she clinked her bulky beer with the scrawny wine glass.

The two women finished their meal, casually chatting about their new cases. Although, what they were saying wasn't at all important, they were just happy to linger in each other's company, without any interruptions from co-workers or family, or both, often at the same time. They have been paying so much attention to each other, and nothing else around them, that they missed a man spying on them. Fortunately for them, their position made it hard for him to eavesdrop for long.

Both women were standing by their waiter, waiting for him to finish calculating their additions. "Maura, what are you doing?" Jane asked, as she watched her friend pull out her credit card.

"Paying for our meal." Maura answered simply with a nod, wondering why Jane would ask such an obvious question.

The detective made a face and grabbed her friend's hand, pulling it down. "No come on, put that away. I asked you out, it's only fair that I pay." She explained, taking out her own wallet.

"That's _cliché,_ Jane." Maura commented, though there was a softness to her tone; flattered that Jane would act in such a traditional way.

"So?" Jane asked, like there was nothing Maura could say that would make her re-think her course of action. Sighing, she placed both of her hands on Maura's shoulders, looking down straight into her eyes. "Look, I'm taking care of everything. Let me do this for you, alright?"

Maura's expression softened considerably, even more so than before. She had to force herself not to let her eyes water as she gazed into the most loving eyes. "That's...the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me." She explained, fighting the urge to lay a gentle kiss on Jane's lips.

Jane dropped her hands from the doctor's shoulders, having completely forgotten that there was a world around them, and a waiter growing impatient. Excusing herself, Jane handed him her credit card, only noticing the look Maura was giving her when she slid the card back into her wallet. "Oh, shut up." She said, knowing her best friend was going to get on her case for her uncharacteristically romantic behaviour.

"Jane's being mushy, Jane's being mushy." Maura teased relentlessly.

"Yeah, yeah." The brunette rolled her eyes, placing both of her hands on Maura's slender and curvy hips, gently pushing her towards the exit. "You know that I hate you right?" She joked and let her hands drop to her sides, falling into a stride beside Maura as they exited the restaurant, their hands occasionally brushing together.

"_Au contraire_, you love me Jane." Maura drawled out the French expression. She didn't mean to make it sound so sensual, but the skin to skin contact from Jane's hand was sending shivers throughout her body. "It's a fact." She pointed out.

"Right, a 'fact'." Jane repeated, using air quotes. "You know what else is a fact?" She started, smirking as she watched Maura shake her head no. "Our metabolisms are slowly going downhill, because..." She paused for a second, raising her brow. "Aging is a life process which we can't escape." The detective finished with a smug look on her face.

"Are you making fun of me?" Maura asked with a frown, trying to detect if her friend was being serious or sarcastic, but the tone of her voice made her lean towards sarcastic.

"No, no, not at all. When have you ever seen me make fun of you?" The detective asked in an innocent voice, which, even if Jane tried, didn't sound so innocent.

"You know that I hate you, right Jane?" Maura mimicked her friend's earlier statement.

"No, my _chérie_, you _love_ me." Jane teased, trying her best to impersonate Maura's voice.

"That was a farfetched impression of my voice." Maura remarked, slightly annoyed that Jane thought she sounded like a squeaky 15 year old.

"Oh and you can do such a good job at imitating mine, Riche Little?" Jane asked sarcastically.

"Yes." Maura answered simply, even, genuinely.

"Okay, well, call Saturday Night Live, they might have a job for you." Jane continued to tease, bumping her shoulder against the smaller woman's' in an attempt to let her know she was still truly just messing around. She wouldn't admit it to herself, but she'd to anything to make Maura smile.

"I simply _do not_ understand how you can jump from being completely romantic to insistently annoying in less than a minute." Maura gave Jane a disapproving shake of her head, glancing at her briefly and trying to look angry. Although, she concluded it was pretty difficult to keep a smile off of her face when Jane was staring at her with a big toothy, dimpled grin.

"It's a gift, I'm the _blessed one_." Jane replied in an overdramatic tone, pressing her left hand against her chest for emphasis.

"Blessed that I punch like a girl, and that I rarely resort to violence to solve any form of dispute?" Maura asked. In the midst of all the teasing, their hands somehow had become intertwined. Neither of them actually noticed who had initiated the romantic gesture.

"Yes, _Ghandi_, you're right. I _am _blessed that you punch like a girl." The brunette pressed, missing Maura's pointed glare before she felt small knuckles dig into the skin of her right shoulder briefly, leaving behind a slight ache. "OW!" She exclaimed, jumping slightly. "That didn't feel like a girl punch..." Jane whined, rubbing the sore spot that Maura hit.

"I learned from the best." Maura chimed with a grin.

Jane chuckled and shrugged. "You win, I can't argue with that."

"I'm fairly certain you could." Maura retorted.

"I'm _fairly certain_ there won't be any cannoli's left if you keep slowing us down." Jane explained, tugging on Maura's hand as she started walking faster.

"You're a bully, and I don't know why I put up with your abuse." Maura expressed as she let herself be dragged by a very eager detective.

"Because I'm hopelessly romantic?" Jane offered with a smirk.

"I'm hungry for desert." Maura wasn't going to let Jane win the argument, so she simply disregarded the woman's last statement.

* * *

><p>After pigging out on a dose of sugar Maura thought was way too much for any adult to consume in a day and giggling like teenagers from the sugar high, Jane had decided to surprise her date with one more stop: Old North Church. It's historic, and even though it will bore Jane to the point which she would put a bullet through herself, again, she knew Maura would enjoy it.<p>

They both walked side by side, hand in hand, and when their laughter consumed them, they stopped in their tracks to regain their composure. Jane placed her hand on her stomach and sighed heavily, feeling the acid wanting to start a scorching trail up her throat. "I'm gonna burst. Yes, I know that's not possible and no, I don't wanna hear about what the human stomach is lined with." She said quickly, hoping she spared herself another Googlemouth episode.

"I'll need to test our blood sugar level; diabetes is a very unfortunate disease." Maura pointed out with every ounce of seriousness she could muster under the influence of sugar.

"Oh come on Maura! We're not going to develop diabetes from eating _one_ cannoli." The detective reasoned.

Just as Maura was getting to spit out facts faster than a machine gun fires high calibre rounds, a man interrupted them. "Good evening ladies, what is it going to take for a guy like me to seduce women like you?" The mysterious man asked, looking both women up and down, not even trying to cover up the fact that he was almost drooling on their shoes.

"A miracle." Jane replied in all honesty, wrapping her arm around Maura's waist as if she was trying to protect her territory. Her stance defensive, ready to defend it if need be. Truth be told, it wouldn't take anything major for Jane to punch this asshole in the nose.

"We're very sorry, but-" Maura was cut off, though it wasn't by the brunette this time, and she found the man very rude for doing so.

"Less chit chat, more doing. Are you gals interested in a party for three?" He asked, a smug smirk plastered on his face as he inched closer towards the two dumbfounded women. Well, technically, one looked slightly more dumbfounded, as the other was fuming with rage. I'll let you guess which one.

"You want a party?" The brunette asked, grabbing the chain around her neck and taking out the shiny gold badge, letting it fall on the front of her shirt. "How about a spending a night in jail with a cell mate named Bubba? He likes to take top, and I'm _not_ talking about the bunk beds." She offered, her jaw clenched as she stared the man down with daggers in her usual soft brown eyes.

The pervert lifted both of his hands and offered quick apologies, before scampering away faster than jack rabbit on crack and almost stumbling on his own feet in the process.

"Dubmass." Jane muttered under her breath, thanking the higher powers that she didn't have her handgun on her. _Oops, did I pull the trigger? I'm sorry, my finger slipped._ Yep, that would have been bad, very bad. "Gee, did everyone decide it was a nice day to visit the Church or am I just that unlucky?" She complained.

"No Jane, it's the Church's 289th anniversary. Queen Elizabeth is here." Maura clarified excitedly, placing one free hand on Jane's right shoulder.

"Great, that's just wonderful." The brunette replied sarcastically.

"The Queen hasn't visited Boston in over 30 years." Maura specified.

"Lovely timing, _Queen_." Jane almost spat out her name, making a face and sticking out her tongue as she did so. "Couldn't you have waited another year?"

"No Jane, this is great!" The doctor exclaimed. "Let's move closer, she's about to recite a speech in honour of Gerald Ford." She said, dragging Jane through the thick and heavy crowd.

"U.S president right?"

"Correct. He lived longer than any other president to date. 93 years and 165 days." Maura stated mater-of-factly while trying to get a look at the Queen, but it was hard to see anything in this sea of people, especially when you're only 5 feet and 5 inches tall.

"How can you possibly enjoy life when you can't do...anything?" Jane asked, making a face. She was less than eager to enter the golden age, even less eager to call herself retired. _Vomit._

"Having something to live for, Jane."

"Like what? Bingo games every Tuesday night and tasteless jell-o? Oh I can't _wait_ to play bingo with you when we're too old to do anything else." Jane teased, elbowing the doctor's side playfully.

"Don't be so rude." Maura said, while rubbing her side with a slight frown; her friend had very pointy elbows. "I was going to say something along the lines of-" Maura was cut off as screams roared from the packed crowd, grabbing both of the women's attention.

"What the hell is happening?" Jane asked, holding Maura tighter against her as citizens began to turn around and bolt in the opposite direction, pushing each other aside like animals, not caring for anyone else's well being except their own. _There you have it, mass panic_. A gun shot was fired. Immediately, Jane grabbed Maura's hand and dragged her behind the Paul Revere statue. At least, this would be safe for a while.

"Jane, what's going on?" The doctor asked in a panicked voiced. Staying close to Jane was the only thing that felt safe.

"I don't know Maura." Jane placed a reassuring hand on Maura's shoulder, as she peaked her head from behind the statue, trying to see if she could get a glimpse of what started this mass panic. What she saw made her mentally kick herself for not having her Glock on her. The Queen, which was still on the stand where she had started to give her speech, was being held hostage at gun point by a man. She figured he must have fired the shot in the air, as the Queen was still very much alive, but it was still hard to see, she was just guessing.

"The Queen's being held hostage, at gun point." Jane informed.

"Oh, dear." The honey brunette tried to peak around the statue, but she felt a hand grab her hips, pulling her back to safety. Maura turned around to face a worried detective. "Jane, you have to call the station."

"Yeah, I'll get them to take you home." Jane agreed, grabbing her cell phone.

"What about you?" Maura asked, concerned.

Jane looked up at her friend, dumbfounded. "I have to help, Maura."

"But Jane, it's not-" The doctor started with a desperate tone to her voice, perhaps hoping to change her mind. Yet she knew her best friend's hard headed nature would make this task a difficult one, or maybe it would be difficult because Jane had cut her off.

"I know, but it's still my duty as a cop to protect and serve. I have to do this." Jane stated while dialling Vince's phone number. There was worry stinging her eyes as she stared at Maura, waiting for her former partner to pick up the phone.

"Boston homicide, Korsak speak-" The Sergeant was abruptly cut off by Jane's rushed tone.

"Korsak, we got a code 25 in progress at the Old North Church in North End, send back up." The detective said hurriedly.

"Sit tight, Jane. We're on our way." Vince reassured before setting the phone down and alerting the station.

"Janie!" The voice, which undoubtedly belonged Frankie, exclaimed. "Have ya seen what's happening?" He asked, also ducking behind the commemorative statue.

"Frankie! What the _hell_ are you doing here?" The brunette shouted, both in annoyance and surprise. He had appeared like a bolt from the blue.

"I was...out for a stroll?" The young officer tried. Frankie knew his sister wouldn't buy it, she could probably tell he was lying before he even opened his mouth, but it never hurt to try, right?

"_Really?_" She asked rhetorically with a highly sarcastic tone. "Oh my God, were you spying on me?" Jane asked in a higher pitched tone, making a face at her brother.

"No! I mean, yes, I mean, kinda." The younger Rizzoli fumbled with his words, knowing if he explained it would sound bad. Though, what made him more nervous was being very aware and familiar with his sister's short temper.

"Did you install a GPS under my car too, James Bond?" The brunette asked.

"That wouldn't have worked, you took..." Frankie shook his head and he pointed to Maura, whom he had just noticed. "Hey, Maura." He waved at her with a small smile, interrupting his sentence to greet the doctor, before continuing: "Her car."

"Hello Frankie." Maura replied.

"Seriously Frankie, _why_ did you follow us?" Jane asked yet another question, still highly puzzled as to why her brother would spy on her.

"I thought that Dr. Isles lent you her car to go on a _secret_ date with some guy. I was just curious, you know, like any good brother." He explained and pointed to Maura once more. "Turns out you were on a date, with..." Frankie trailed off, looking sheepish.

"Maura." The detective finished for him. She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Yes, Sherlock, we're on a date. I mean we _were_ on a date. Okay, _why_ are we having this conversation right now? Can we finish this when the Queen of England doesn't have a loaded barrel against her head?" _This job is seriously ruining my social life, but Maura, she's different, she's like us in many ways. That's exactly what I need, someone who understands that my job is too jump in front of bullets, and to love me for it. She'll worry, there's no doubt about that, but I got her back and she has mine. We always do. We're a team, a pair, a couple._

* * *

><p>Jane, Maura, Frankie, Frost and Korsak were standing behind an armored S.W.A.T SUV, watching as the siblings argued.<p>

"No way! I'm not leaving you." The young officer said, crossing his arms over his chest defiantly.

"Take Maura home." Jane said. "Please Frankie, I need to know you two are safe." She pressed, almost pleadingly.

"Alright, but promise me you'll be careful. And use Frost as a human shield if you need to." The younger Rizzoli joked; patting Barry's left shoulder amicably.

"Hey..." Frost protested, glaring at Korsak who was having a hard time covering up his laughter.

"Don't be ridiculous." Jane commented, rolling her eyes at her brother.

Frankie's grins changed to a suddenly serious one, his eyebrows just slightly creased. "Just...promise me, you'll come home safe."

The brunette smiled just before her brother wrapped her in a tight hug. "I promise. Now, go." Jane said while pulling back from the hug.

"I love you Janie." Frankie said while taking a step back, standing beside the doctor.

"I love you too 'lil brother." Jane replied, her eyes falling on Maura, who was slowly inching towards her. The look on her face was a cross between scared and nervous which was unusual for the calm woman. "I can't promise you that it'll go down smoothly." Jane admitted, looking down at her hands as she rubbed them together nervously.

"You're the best at what you do Jane. I have complete confidence in you." Maura forced a smile as she to, pulled the tall brunette into a hug. "Like Frankie said, come back home safe." She whispered in the woman's ear, which was only possible because of the few inches her high heels provided her with.

"I'll see you soon Maur." Jane said before stepping back, wanting to hug the woman against her longer, already lacking the warmth Maura's body provided. She thought about kissing her, though with all the media around, not to mention all of Boston PD, it didn't seem like a great idea.

"Okay." Once again, the doctor forced a smile before following Jane's brother out of the cluster of panicked Bostonians and the occasional tourist. About a dozen S.W.A.T footmen had been ordered to evacuate the area as quickly and smoothly as possible. Some civilians, whom had been caught in the crossfire of a mass of people stampeding in the same direction, had to be taken out on stretchers with some minor injuries. Thankfully there were no casualties, yet.

Lieutenant Cavanaugh and an S.W.A.T agent approached the detective. "Now that you're done playing house, what can you tell us about the 25?" The Lieutenant asked, pressing down the lapels of his suit with his palms. This comment earned a few chuckles from Korsak and Frost.

"I don't come with built in binoculars, _lieutenant, sir_." Jane replied sarcastically, balancing herself backwards on her heals as she cocked her head slightly and glared at the two detectives.

"Hold the attitude will ya, Rizzoli?" Cavanaugh asked. "This is Commander Mitchell," He said, pointing at the man with his thumb. "You two will have to communicate if anything goes wrong, or if you need back up." He continued, shoving his hands in his pockets.

After exchanging a brief hand shake and a curt nod with the S.W.A.T commander, Jane turned to her Lieutenant. "All I know is that the Queen is being held hostage, and if we don't do something now, we'll have all of England at our throats." She informed.

"We have a sniper positioned." Mitchell announced, pointing towards said sniper, hidden on the roof of an adjacent building.

"Let me look." Barry said while snatching the pair of binoculars from Korsak, who had been surveying the scene. "Our_ perp_ is one of the Queens' body guards."

Jane quickly moved beside Frost. "Gimme those." She said, taking the binoculars from the man who had previously did the same thing to Korsak. He raised an eyebrow as Vince stared at him with a smug smile. "Son of a bitch, you're right...and he looks nervous, like it's his first round in the saddle." Jane remarked as she carefully examined the perp's face.

"Think you can talk him out of it, Jane?" Korsak asked, getting closer to the woman and squinting in the direction Jane was looking at, as if he had someone gained bionic eyes and could see what she saw.

"I have to." The brunette said simply, giving back the binoculars to Korsak.

"Rizzoli, get your butt over here." Cavanaugh shouted from the armored truck they had previously been huddled around.

Korsak turned his head, sporting the same facial expression Maura had just before she left with Frankie. "Be careful Jane."

"You know me." Jane replied with a small smile as she patted his shoulder and jogged over to her Lieutenant and the team of heavily armored S.W.A.T team.

"Get him to loosen up the hold." Cavanaugh explained.

Jane unbuttoned her blue shirt as one of the agents taped a wire on her side, up to her shoulder. She thanked him with a nod and buttoned the piece of clothing back up. She then slipped on the bullet proof vest, securely tightening the straps around her right side. _Damn that's heavy._ She always forgot how the vest added a suffocating 30 pounds on her shoulders.

"It's all up to you. Give Mitchell the signal and he'll tell his sniper to take the shot." Cavanaugh continued, looking even more nervous than the detective he was about to send out in the fray. "Oh and one more thing Rizzoli, don't make me regret this." He pleaded.

"Have I ever let you down?" Jane said with a slight smirk, even though she was serious.

"No, but today wouldn't be good for a first." The Lieutenant replied. He couldn't help but smirk back, placing one of his hands on her shoulder and squeezing it gently. "We're all counting on you." As she nodded once more and turned to walk away, Cavanaugh let out a heavy sigh and sat down on the end of the SUV, rubbing his face with both of his hands.

_Great, we're all counting on you? Was that the best motivational speech he could come up with? Because it wasn't very motivational. Alright Rizzoli, you can do this_. She slowly, tentatively, approached the body guard and the hostage as to not spur panic in the perp. "I'm Detective Jane Rizzoli, I'm not here to hurt you. I just wanna talk." The brunette said from just a few yards away from him.

"If you so much as touch that gun, she's dead." He announced shakily, pressing the gun harder against her temple.

"Alright, calm down buddy. There's no need for that, just, stay calm." Jane carefully watched his movements, holding up both of her hands to show she clearly wasn't here to do any harm, as she was unarmed. Her Glock was securely fastened into its holster at her left hip.

"Calm? CALM? You want me to stay calm when there are a dozen riffles pointed at me?" The body guard shouted, almost losing his grip on the Queen, who looked as pale as a ghost.

"You put yourself in this situation, don't blame anyone else." Jane started softly, trying to inch herself a bit closer to the madman. "Why are you doing this? Attention, fame? Is this little..._stunt_ really worth your freedom?" She asked, trying to see if the guilt would win over his emotions.

"Shut up, just shut up!" He screamed, seeming more nervous by the second. He looked all around him quickly, unable to just stay still, trying to gauge just how many guns were pointed at him and if he had any chance of survival.

_Looks like that approach won't work_. "C'mon buddy, just relax. What's your name?" Jane hoped he would bite into the hook. This 'friendly' psychological approach works great to get their trust, and that is what the brunette needs to do in this situation.

"J-jonathan." The perp stuttered.

"Good, good. Listen Jonathan, you're young. You still have a life ahead of you." The detective reasoned.

"What kind of life? Even if I let her go, I'll still go to prison. That's if I even get out of here alive. Do they have sniper? He'll probably shoot me in the head any moment now. It's too late, I can't go back." Jonathan was surely more talkative now, and calmer than just a few seconds ago.

"You still have a way out, nothing is lost. Just give me your gun, and let her go." Jane pressured, taking a few steps closer again.

"Bullshit! Fucking bullshit!" He yelled. The calm was just an illusion. "I know they're just waiting for me to get distracted so they can shoot me down like a goddamn animal!"

_He's erratic, emotionally unstable. You have to be gentler Rizzoli. _"You wanna know the truth, Jonathan? I'm the only one who can give the go ahead to the sniper. If you don't cooperate with me bud, I'm afraid I'll have to tell him to take the shot." There were harsh words, but they were the truth and trust builds itself on truth.

"Of course you would. You do what looks right, but you don't believe any of it. Inside, you're just like me." Jonathan hadn't realized the Queen was getting heavier and heavier in his arms as he continued to spit out all of his hate at the detective.

"That is the _farthest_ from the truth Jonathan, I care. I really do, I want you to get you out of this mess, alive." There was nothing short of compassion swirling around in her big chocolate brown eyes. To make a bold statement like that towards Jane, it showed how much Jonathan didn't know a thing about this woman.

"Stop it! Stop saying my name like you know me, like you_ care_! Nobody cares, nobody gives a shit. If I died, no one would even notice." He continued to rant, hate driven.

"That's _not_ true. There is always someone out there who cares for you. Life is tough, I'll give you that, but what makes us human is the will to survive, to get through it _because_ we can, _because_ we're strong. We have the will to live and so do you." Jane could see him soften up with every word, there were tears threatening to cascade down his face. She almost had him, just a few more moments and he would break down, freeing the hostage in the process. "You didn't wanna do this, you don't wanna harm her. You can trust me, give me the gun Jonathan." She pleaded again, softly, as she slowly walked just in front of both of them, extending her hand towards him.

"My entire life has been filled with empty promises. I can't trust anyone anymore, everyone is so selfish. Did you see the way everybody pushed each other like they didn't care if the other person beside them would survive or not? I'm disgusted by what society has created; I'm disgusted by what humans have become." As he talked, he slowly let his hand fall down beside his hostage, but still holding her against him.

"Believe me, I agree with you, but there is nothing we can do to change that. All we can do is be a better person, a better human being. It's not much, but it inspires people. Do the right thing Jonh, let her go, and all of this will be over." Jane was sure he was about to let her go, smiling at his as she watched Jonathan lower his gun.

Previous softens was completely erased from his face and he lifted the gun to her temple with new found rage. "It's never over, nothing is ever-" The loud shot ringed in Jane's hears, she looked at the splash of blood slowly exploding from the bullet's impact as if everything was in slow motion. The sniper had missed, the bullet pierced Jonathan's left shoulder.

Jane knew she had a few seconds to act before he grabbed the gun with his other hand. Quickly and swiftly, just as she was trained, she grabbed her handgun from its holster, pointed it at the man and fired. He fell to the ground with a thud. There was an eerie silence all around, and even though there were news helicopter hovering above the tragic scene, ambulance's sirens growing louder as they approached them, the only sounds Jane could hear was the echo of her gun shots.

One of the body guards, that had his gun trained on the now lifeless body, quickly caught the Queen before she went down, fainting out of fear. She was taken away by an ambulance, followed by a few patrol cruises and two armored S.W.A.T cars. Jonathan's body was being recovered by the coroners and Jane found herself unable to look away, thinking she could have saved him. The lifeless body in the black bag could have still been alive. Deep in her thoughts, she hadn't realized that everyone had gathered around her.

"Good work Rizzoli." Cavanaugh said, patting Jane's shoulder with a big smile.

Then Korsak. "Great job, Jane."

And Frost. "Knew you'd come through, partner."

"It was an honour working with you detective Rizzoli." And finally, Commander Mitchell. He shook the woman's hand professionally.

All she could reply with were half-hearted thank you's and forced smiles. Jane didn't feel like celebrating, it wasn't an event to celebrate. She could have helped the young man, but she had to put three bullets in his body. She never signalled for the sniper to shoot. If he hadn't, he might have surrendered his weapon. _Or maybe not, he could have shot you and then the Queen. You did what you had too. Maybe he was right, he was lost already. It was over for him. _Even though Jane felt she was right, she couldn't help but mourn what could have been of this young man's life.

* * *

><p>As soon as Jane opened to door to Maura's house, Angela crashed into her daughter, enveloping her in a tight hug. "Oh my baby. Why do you have to go and get involved in such dangerous situations?"<p>

"I'm a cop Ma, it's my _job_."

"I don't like your job."

"I know, you've only said it like a _gazillion_ times." Jane said while rolling her eyes. "Where's-Oh, hey." Jane said softly as her eyes fell on the woman that occupied her mind. She placed both of her hands behind her back; she didn't know what to do with herself, that much was obvious. She wanted to take Maura in her arms and hug the life out of her. Though, the other occupants in the room turned her into a shy pre teen that has yet to hit puberty. Jane felt everyone's stare on her and it made her slightly uncomfortable, but mostly puzzled. She raised an eyebrow at Maura as if to ask: what the hell is going on?

Maura hadn't said a word and simply kept a sly smirk on her face as she stepped closer towards the brunette. She knew, for a fact, that if she opened her mouth, she wouldn't be able to keep the truth from cascading out like Niagara Falls.

Jane's smile fell and morphed into a frown as she looked at her brother, then at Angela, and back to Maura. "Gee, I _wonder_ how someone could feel claustrophobic in such a _big_ space." She announced sarcastically to the three people whom were still all staring at her, somewhat expectantly. "_Why_ are you all staring?" Was asked with bordering irritation.

"No reason." Frankie said a little too quickly, pursing his lips and shifted his stare away from his sister.

"We're not staring." Angela replied absent minded as she watched the two women stand inches apart from each other. "Are you two going to...hug?" The mother of three asked a little too excitedly.

Jane quickly redirected her glare at her brother, her mouth slightly open from shock. "You told Ma, Frankie? Really?"

"It might have slipped..." Frankie defended, becoming jittery under Jane's glare.

"_Might_ have slipped?" Jane asked disbelievingly, sighing and groaning in annoyance.

"Well you know how..._persistent_ she is." The young police officer defended with a shrug.

"Why didn't you tell me honey? Don't you trust your own mother?" Angela asked, genuinely hurt.

"Because, _Mother_, it's none of your business. It's _my_ personal life." Jane had to emphasize the word mother in other to amplify her irritation with her nosy family.

"You used to tell me everything, and now, it's as if I'm not a part of your life anymore." The woman pressed, no doubt trying to invoke guilt in her daughter. Which, by any means, did not work.

"Quit being so dramatic, Ma, you live in the same house as _my_ best friend." The brunette pointed out.

"Guest house." Angela corrected.

Frankie also took the liberty to correct Jane: "Girlfriend."

Jane raised her voice and pointed to the door. "That's it. _Leave_, all of you."

"Fine." Both her mother and Frankie uttered simultaneously.

"_Fine_." Jane mimicked.

"Come by before you leave_, if_ you want to see your old mother that is." Angela dramatized as she headed out the door.

Jane crossed her arms over her chest and pushed her tongue in her cheek, just like a bratty 10 year old would when they were refused a desert right before diner time. "I'm not leaving." She said simply.

"Jane will be sleeping here tonight, Miss Rizzoli." Maura deepened with a gracious smile as she placed a calming hand on the brunette's right arm.

"Oh, well in that case, you two be safe." Angela added in a sing-song voice and winked at the pair.

"I'll make sure to wear a condom. Good night now. _Bye_." With that said, Jane closed the door, sighing as she heard her brother laugh. She slumped back against said door, rubbing her face with both of her hands.

"I don't think that was a very appropriate thing to say to your mother, Jane." Maura criticized. However, she couldn't help but smile as, even though it was was indeed inappropriate, the joke was certainly amusing.

"Yeah? Well she's inappropriate by butting in my personal life." Jane defended as she slowly walked towards island in the kitchen and slumped forward on the surface, leaning against her forearms. She seemed exhausted, but more mentally than physically.

"She's your mother; it's understandable she wants to be a part of it." The doctor explained as she walked behind the taller woman and snaked her arms around her waist, resting her head against the detective's slumped back.

"She doesn't know when too much is just _too much_." Jane continued, still snappy, though the warmth and comfort Maura provided from such a simple action managed to calm her down.

"Angela invited me for diner, with you, and the whole family." Maura chose this moment to break the news to her best friend...erm, girlfriend.

Closing her eyes, the brunette let her head fall against the counter with a thud. "Kill me now. Where's my gun?" Jane asked with a muffled voice before lifting her head up and frowning. "And ow, that hurt." She said rubbing her forehead. She slowly turned around in Maura's arms, wrapping one of her arms around the woman's waist to pull her closer. "_Now_ do you see what I mean with the 'too much'?"

Maura smiled and comfortably settled in the taller woman's arms, resting her head just underneath Jane's chin. "Actually, I see the family resemblance now." She replied truthfully.

"_Excuse me_, Doctor?" The brunette asked with both eyebrows raised.

"You stated that Angela was overdramatic, and so are you. Ironic isn't it?" She answered simply with a shrug. After a few seconds of silence, Maura lifted her head as she felt Jane pull back, who was looking down right at her with a look that screamed 'you better explain yourself in the next 5 seconds or there will be hell'. "Right now, I mean, not all the time." The doctor continued with a sheepish smile, settling back in her previous position as she felt Jane's body relax slightly.

"Right."

"Anyhow, do you realize you saved the life of the Queen of England?" Maura asked, desperately trying to change the subject.

"I don't think a lot of people can cross that off their bucket list." The detective commented, wrapping her other arm around Maura's waist, effectively relaxing against the petite woman.

"Expect a generous gift from the royal family in the next few days. They might even invite you to a royal diner." Maura informed with a bright smile.

"Do you think it'll be a horse?" Jane asked eagerly.

Maura lets out a soft laugh. "I doubt it, Jane."

"Bummer, and here I was looking forward to giving you a lift on Walter." Jane stated with mock sadness.

"You're one of the most fearless women I have ever met." The doctor blurted out, sighing happily as she snuggled in further, as if she was melting against Jane's warm body.

"And you think this compliment will make me forget you said I was overdramatic?" The taller woman teased with a smirk, rubbing her hands up and down Maura's back.

"Only if it works. Did it?" Maura asked, looking up into beautiful chocolate brown eyes with a grin.

"You're lucky you have such a great smile." Jane replied, staring back into equally gorgeous hazel eyes.

"I have been told that it's one of my greatest assets." The doctor claimed, the suggestive glint in her eyes was easily read and understood by the other woman.

"It's not the only one." The brunette uttered, slightly absent minded as she stared at the other woman's delicate lips.

"Oh, and what else?" Maura asked, feign innocence.

"I'd rather show you than tell you." The brunette announced suggestively.

"I like where you're getting at." Maura's finger traced the edges of Jane's collar, slowly starting to undo the first button.

"Good, I'm glad we're on the same page." Jane said with a chuckle, having a hard time focusing on talking as Maura continued to unbutton her shirt. "And I'm sorry for the...abrupt end to our first date." She apologized, genuinely bummed out it didn't go as planned.

"I have a feeling you're about to make it up to me, Detective." Maura stated, her voice dripping with sensuality as she undid a third button.

"You listen to your intestines now?" Jane asked jokingly.

"Shut up and kiss me." Maura hopped up, with a little help from Jane, and wrapped both of her slender legs around the woman's waist, resting her hand on the brunette's partially exposed chest. They both smiled at each other before their lips met in a heated kiss and with a little effort from both of them, they managed to end up in Maura's bedroom without causing too much damage.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you all for your great reviews again! I'm astonished you all want more :P I'll definitely work on a chapter 3 :)<strong>


	3. Sibling's quarrel

**A/N: Here it is guys, I hope you all enjoy the reading and thanks again for all the great reviews. **

**On the topic of the black people joke, some of you mentioned it apparently sounded offensive, I understand how it would be, but I also see the side where it's just Jane being Jane: giving Maura a hard time. But because I am not a bad person (I swear), I'll change it.  
><strong>

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><p>Jane woke up to the pleasant feeling of a warm body cuddled against her. Her arm was wrapped around Maura's smaller frame, hand resting comfortably on the woman's flat stomach. Her other arm was nestled under Maura's pillow, not the most comfortable position, especially when the doctor's head had slept on it all night, but the perfect round bottom in her lap more than made up for it. Jane moved strands of honey-blond hair aside to reveal a slender neck. She slowly pressed her lips down on the soft, skin careful not to wake her. <em>How did I get so lucky? <em>

The doctor stirred in her sleep and turned around until she was on her back, her head turned towards Jane, whom, even if she tried, couldn't help the big goofy grin from appearing on her face. However, the brunette's expression softened up as the sun light peering through the blinds illuminated a part of Maura's face and hair, making it seem like there was an aura around her. It was a breathtaking sight for the pair of brown eyes.

Jane propped her head up on her hand, her elbow dinging into her pillow. She felt an overwhelming feeling of comfort and happiness as she continued to stare at the beauty sleeping beside her. She wanted to take back all the times she said chick flicks made her nauseous, because as unreal as they may seem, there was a bit of truth in them.

The detective dipped her head down, enough to be able to lay a gentle kiss on Maura's lips. The woman in question stirred, let out a small groan but didn't wake up. So, Jane tried again, although she took her time to taste the other woman's lips, running her tongue along Maura's bottom lip. Another groan, but her eyes were still closed shut. With a devilish smirk, Jane moved on top of the sleeping doctor, placing both of her hands on either side her head and kissed her more forcefully this time, all while moving her hips against Maura's center. "Wake up sleepy head." The brunette said between kisses.

The tingling sensation woke Maura in the most enjoyable manner, though she didn't open her eyes, she simply concentrated on returning the passionate kiss she received from her girlfriend. She pulled back as both women were in desperate need of oxygen, moaning appreciatively before opening her eyes, raising a brow at the woman on top of her. "Good morning, love."

"Morning sexy." Jane replied smirking.

"What was the reason behind this unexpected, although very nice, awakening?" Maura asked, placing both of her hands on either side of Jane's face, rubbing her thumbs over her high cheek bones.

The brunette smiled down at the doctor. "Do I need a reason to wake up my beautiful girlfriend with kisses?"

Maura tilted her head, pondering over the question for half a second before answering. "Good point, carry on." She finished with a radiant smile. "It's a bit bright in here, don't you think?" She asked, spreading her legs apart so Jane could fit between them comfortably.

"Your wish is my command, m'lady." Jane laughed, taking hold of her pillow with her right hand and placing it on top of her head as she leaned down once again to kiss Maura. She pulled on both sides of the pillow so the sun rays wouldn't intrude their intimacy.

Maura laughed in the kiss, running both of her hands along Jane's arms, closing her legs against the brunette's hips, trapping her in this position. After a few minutes, Maura pulled back and pushed the pillow aside. "Now it's too warm."

"Geez, you're high maintenance." The detective joked, earning a pinch from Maura. She turned to look to her left; having the uneasy feeling they were being watched. Her chocolate orbs travelled down to the wooden floors, where Bass, the doctor's tortoise, was casually sitting, looking up at them. "Ew, Maura, your turtle is _staring_ at us." She said, making a face.

"Tortoise and he's probably hungry." Maura excused herself and slid from underneath Jane, gathering her clothes she had neatly organized on her night stand. "Mommy's going to feed you in a second. Would you fancy some strawberries?" The doctor said in high pitched voice as she put on her usual morning attire: A pair of briefs and one of Jane's shirts. This morning, she had a grey Red Sox t-shirt with bold, red letters imprinted on the front.

The brunette always had a change of clothes over at Maura's, even before they started dating, for when Jane would occasionally sleep over. For example, when the doctor declares it is far too dangerous for Jane to drive back to her apartment late at night. It was obvious, that the petite woman was using every excuse possible to get her best friend in her bed, not that the detective minded.

Jane chuckled at Maura's baby talk as she lay on her stomach, on the doctor's side of the bed, snuggling into the pillow that gave off the delicious smell that was distinctively Maura. She smiled to herself as she heard the petite woman feeding strawberries to her tortoise, asking if he wanted another one like he would actually reply to her. It was cute, so cute in fact it could rival with any new born cat wondering around aimlessly and meowing. You know the kind you see on Youtube, but you're too badass to admit you actually watch them.

Do you know what is definitely not cute? Grumbling stomachs. Jane groaned, reluctant to get out of bed, but her empty stomach was getting angrier with every passing second. The brunette slowly pushed herself out of bed, sitting on the edge as she tried to remember where she had thrown her pyjamas. She ran a hand through the mass of curly hair, letting her tired eyes roam the vast area. Finally she spotted the clothes on the nightstand on her side of the bed, neatly folded just like Maura's were. Smiling, Jane slipped on the grey tank top and pair of black jogging pants and made her way into the kitchen.

The detective lazily walked towards the island, both of her hands behind her head as she tied her hair in a messy high pony tail. She watched Maura who was still crouched down, feeding Bass. "Don't spoil him too much. Next thing you know he's gonna sleep between us and destroy our sex life, _forever_." Jane added the last word dramatically as she opened the refrigerator and took out some eggs and vegetables.

"You're right, excessively spoiling children all through their childhood greatly affect their decision making skills, making them very un-responsible young adults which can persists in adulthood." Maura stated, gently patting the turtle's...erm, tortoise's head before putting away the strawberry container.

"I'm sure Bass worries about his future. I mean life insurance and mortgages for turtles are_ really_ expensive." The detective teased as she started cutting the veggies.

"Tortoise, Jane." Maura corrected, for the second time this morning. "Ignoring you now." She narrowed her eyes at the woman slightly, though there wasn't a hint of malice in her eyes. She walked behind the taller brunette and casually slipped her arms around her waist, resting her head on Jane's shoulder. "What are you making?"

"On the menu this morning, we have vegetable omelettes with a side of bacon, for me, and whole wheat toasts for you." Jane said with her best impression of a sophisticated Boston cook.

"Oh, are you trying to seduce me, Chef Rizzoli?" Maura asked with a grin, as she cuddled further into the warm body, placing several soft kisses along Jane's neck and shoulder.

"Yes, yes I am." Jane stated matter-of-factly, turning up the heat on the bottom left burner of Maura's luxurious gas stove. "Is it working?" She asked in a lower voice, smirking as she watched the smaller woman grin from the corner of her eye.

"Actually, recent studies have shown that a good cook is sexy and arousing to their partner." The doctor stated seriously with a nod of her head.

"Try not to rip my clothes off; I'm going to crack this egg open." Just as she promised, Jane took an egg, cracked it open against the side of the frying pan and separated the two pieces of the shell with one hand, letting out all the gooey goodness cascade down into the pan, all while making over exaggerated movements with her arm. "You like that?" She asked, deepening her voice just for effect.

"Oh Jane! I can hardly contain my sexual attraction towards you." Maura played along, resting the back of her hand against her forehead and leaning backwards slightly as if she was about to faint.

The two women looked at each other for no more than two seconds and burst out laughing. Never in a million years would Jane have ever thought she would have found someone this amazing, who completed her in every way.

Maura moved away from Jane, letting her finish their breakfast as she gathered the plates and utensils they would need. She glanced at the taller woman a few times while preparing the island and she found it incredibly hard to erase the smile off her face. Jane would glance at her too, and when their sparkling eyes locked for that slight second, the air around them became thick, electrifying, suffocating. Although it was nothing like a hot and humid summer day, the warmth was inviting and made both women feel safe.

Jane brought the frying pan over to the Island, after she had thoroughly mashed the eggs, making sure there was no gooey stuff left, because it grosses out doctor finicky. After she had pilled the enormous portions into both of their plates, she took a seat next to Maura on the island. It truly amazed Jane that such a petite and well-mannered woman could eat more than she did and keep her slim figure. When she had first met the medical examiner, the brunette thought her diet probably only consisted of salad and water, but was pleasantly surprised to see Maura chow down on, not one, but two greasy hamburgers at the Dirty Robber. _I think that's when I fell in love with her, right then and there, in a dirty pub. How romantic. _

"Do you think we should ask Detective Frost and Korsak to join us tonight?" Maura casually asked, watching Jane from the corner of her eye to subtly catch her reaction.

Jane looked down at her plate. "Don't you think it'll make it weird at work if we tell 'em?" She asked, looking rather preoccupied as she tossed her food back and forth with her fork like she was playing hockey.

"Frost and Korsak have never shown any negativity towards the gay community."

"I know Maur, it's just that..." Jane trailed off, suddenly loosing the words she wanted to speak.

"You want to be respected at work, just like everyone else, without any judgment." The doctor voiced Jane's thoughts, a soft smile playing on her lips as she studied her girlfriend's features.

"Exactly." The brunette replied, grateful that Maura understood her worries.

Greatly touched by Jane's concern, Maura turned on her stool to face the woman, taking one of her hand in hers. "They already do, honey. They know you're an amazing detective and being a woman doesn't make you any less capable of fulfilling your duties. I've never seen Vince look up to someone like he looks up to you. The way he respects you is truly admirable." She held the detective's stare, noticing the softness is her brown eyes, but also the emotions swirling in them. It looked like caramel being poured slowly on your favorite sugary treat. "They love you Jane, and you preferring women over men isn't going to change that. You're still you, the brave, headstrong, smart detective; the hero." Maura watched as Jane lowered her head and smiled, probably trying to hide her blush.

"Thank you." Jane whispered, looking back up at the doctor with a loving smile as she brought Maura's hand up to her lips and laid a quick kiss on the back of it.

"_And_ you're my hero." Maura added in a more enthused tone, as to lighten the conversation and hopes to receive in return a big toothy grin.

"As long as you don't make me wear spandex in bed." Jane joked with a grin.

"Don't be silly Jane, I don't make you wear _anything_ in bed." Maura quipped in a sultry tone, raising a brow as she wrapped both of her arms around Jane's neck to pull the brunette towards her. She pressed her lips against Janes', relishing in their softness as the kiss quickly grew in passion and a very persistent tongue was granted access into the doctor's mouth. Both women groaned low in their throats, forgetting all about the delicious food in front of them.

It's only when they heard the front door open and hurried steps making their way into the house that they realized just how close they were: bodies pressed against each other, Maura's hands were tangled in Jane's dark curls and the detective's hands were making their way underneath the smaller woman's shirt.

_When they hell did this happen?_ Jane no memory of how this happened. "Ma, please knock!" She hissed has she hurriedly patted down Maura's t-shirt to make it look less dishevelled in appearance. The doctor returned the favor, combing her fingers through Jane's raven hair to make it seem less wild and out of control.

Angela hadn't missed both of the women's flushed appearance, and she wouldn't miss a chance to comment on it either. "I'm sorry to interrupt you two love birds, but it's an emergency." she apologized.

"What_ is_ it?" Jane hissed again in annoyance, snaking her arm around Maura's waist.

"What's wrong Angela?" Maura asked at the same time as the brunette did as she turned around. Though, she was sporting a much softer and concerned tone than Jane did.

"I burned my sauce, it's completely ruined! I won't have enough time to do it all over again...would you help me Maura?" Angela asked reluctantly, fearing she would be interrupting the woman's plans for the day.

"Of course Ms. Rizzoli, I'll be happy to." Maura quickly replied, missing the lovesick smile that Jane was throwing her way. She placed her hand over the brunette's hand that was resting on her hip and gave it a squeeze.

"You're an angel dear. Thank you." Angela was grateful that her daughter in law, if it's not too soon to call her that, had such a kind soul. She grabbed Maura's arm, tugging her away from Jane. Maura gave her girlfriend an apologetic smile, noticing her hurt expression, as she was being dragged away.

It felt like the doctor had been ripped away from her. Jane already missed the warmth and comfort Maura's body provided. "Hey! Be careful, Ma, she's not a squeaky toy." Jane warned, raising her voice and making gestures with her hands, but the plea was completely ignored.

"I'll bring her back in one piece, I promise." Ms. Rizzoli called out.

Maura blew a kiss at the annoyed brunette and had just enough time to utter the words: "See you soon, honey." before she was pulled out of the house by an eager Angela.

Jane let both of her arms fall in defeat and let out a frustrated sigh. With Maura now occupied for the rest of the day, the detective had nothing to do but watch time go buy. However, she wouldn't let boredom get the best of her. She put on a pair of running shoes, you know the kinds that are sold at ridiculous prices, but Maura insists that "They help minimize the stress that your heel receives when it hits the ground, which maximises and enhances your strike pattern". If you ask Jane, you only pay for the logo that's on the shoe, though she had to admit they were quite comfortable.

She sent Vince and Barry a quick text, informing them that they were invited for a diner tonight with her family at Maura's house. After strapping her iPod to her left bicep, Jane left the house and started a quick stride. _Strike, forefoot, toes. Dammit Maura. _Even if the petite honey-blond wasn't there to chant the proper way to run, her words were still lingering in Jane's mind.

Jane tried to ignore the looks, and occasional comment, men were giving her as she was running by. Even though she couldn't understand what they were saying to her, she simply glared at them like she was about to take their heads off and it was enough to make them turn the other way with their tail between their legs like lost puppies. Forty-five minutes later, she had arrived to her apartment. Heart beating in her chest and covered in sweat. A few strands of her curly hair had come loose from the pony tail and were stuck on the side of her face.

Jane lazily made her way up the stairs, almost dragging her feet to her door. Her thighs were aching and every small movement felt like something sharp was tearing through the muscle. She was approached by Marissa, who had just stepped out of her apartment. Jane smiled at her, but didn't understand what the woman was saying as music was still blaring in her ears. "Just a second." The brunette said a little too loudly as she close the iPod and took out the earphones from her ears. "Sorry, what did ya say?"

"I asked if you had a good run." The law student replied, intertwining both of her hands together in front of her. Her eyes roamed over Jane's fit figure, unable to look away. The woman was definitely gorgeous, even when she looked exhausted from running.

"It was good, thank you." Jane could see Marissa looked shy, even nervous. Maura always told the brunette that her neighbour had a crush on her. She always dismissed this accusation, but maybe the doctor was right. "I gotta get ready, family dinner tonight. See ya around Marissa." She smiled at the girl once more before entering her apartment, greeted by a hyper Jo Friday.

"Hey girl, did you miss me? Yeah, I know you did." Jane said in her baby voice, scratching the dog's stomach. She chuckled when her left paw twitched in the air from the belly scratching she received. "You hungry?" Jane asked as she got up and walked to the kitchen. Jo followed the brunette, answering the question with a bark.

"Here you go." The detective filled her bowl with Kibble 'n Bits, although Maura had recommended that she fed her Iams food because it "Ensured a healthy growth for small dogs". After refilling Jo's water bowl and gave her a treat, Jane headed to the bathroom to take a well deserved shower. _I don't think Maura would touch me if I smelled like a teenager's hockey bag._

After her shower Jane sat on the edge of her bed, dressed in her matching undergarments, facing her closet once again. Just as she thought her nightmare was over, she was thrown in the same predicament. _What the fuck am I gonna wear?_ Stumped, Jane decided to consult with the fashionista, sending her a text. She lay down on her bed with a sigh, letting her cell phone rest on her stomach as she awaited the doctor's reply.

_-I don't know what to wear_

Jane took her phone as soon as she felt it vibrate, lifting it with both of her arms so she could text comfortably in her current position. _If someone would walk in on me right now, I don't think I'd be able to explain._

_-You forgot a period at the end of that sentence, but I'm going to reply to you anyways: do you still have those ripped black jeans?_

_-I'm rolling my eyes at you because you can't see me, and yeah I think so_

_-I'll just disregard any grammatical error from now on, but I see you're using spell check. How about, those jeans with the red Lacoste, long sleeve, v-neck pullover I got you that Christmas? Which you, by the way, never wore._

_-I did! Right after our xmas break and YOU Dr. Isles, called in sick_

_-I had entirely too much to drink at that Christmas gathering and now that I think about it, it was your fault._

_-Ok, how was it MY fault?_

_-You kept refilling my drinks._

_-You didn't say no_

_-You're right, so it was half your fault and half mine. _

_-Sure doc. Anyways, I went for a run so I'll nap for a bit_

_-Rest well and don't be late. I'll see you at 5 o'clock, Jane._

Jane smiled to herself as she gathered the clothes Maura requested and set them on the opposite corner of her bed. Truth be told she hadn't wore the shirt because the day she had, all of Boston PD was teasing her about looking like a lesbian. Not to mention the dozen of women that hit on her every time she stepped a foot outside. If only these woman had all been Maura, her goal of wearing it would have been fulfilled. The detective settled in her usual spot on the left side of the bed and easily drifted off to a peaceful slumber.

Jane woke up to the insistent and annoying sound of her phone ringing. She slowly lifted her head up with one eye open and looked around the room with a slight frown before picking up her phone. 15 missed calls, all from the same number. _What the hell, how long did I sleep for? What year is this? _She noted the time indicated on her phone: 5:03. "SHIT!" Jane cursed out loud, springing out of bed and putting on her clothes faster than a startled cat. She dialed Maura's number, holding the phone between her shoulder and ear as she slipped on the pair of dark colored jeans. "Maura? I'm-I know, on my way now."

She quickly closed her phone, stuffed it into her jeans pocket and practically dashed into the living room. Jo Firday was sitting down, waggling her tail and looking up at her master with a quizzical look. "Sorry girl, I gotta head out, I don't feel like sleeping on a couch tonight." Grabbing the wine bottle she had left on the counter, the tall brunette left her apartment, locking the door behind her. She was so rapid in turning around that she hadn't noticed someone was standing behind her, who she promptly crashed into. "Marissa, crap, I'm sorry."

"Running late Jane?" The student asked with a teasing grin.

"Yeah, kinda." Just as she was searching for her car keys, Jane remembered she had left the Ford at Maura's place. "Dammit!" She exclaimed.

"Need a ride?" Marissa asked with a raised eyebrow, amused at the brunette's panicked expression.

"You would save my life." Jane replied, relief strewn across her face.

"Alright, let's go." Marissa said, leading both of the women towards her vehicle.

Jane was surprised that the student drove a Jeep Cherokee sport. The ride was filled with casual chatter about Marissa's school and Jane's work. The future lawyer did convince the detective to get herself a Jeep, but only after her retirement, as a Jeep with police lights wouldn't look too professional. Though, it would probably be more efficient in high speed chases.

When they arrived to Maura's home, Jane had offered the young woman to join them, but she politely declined the offer. After thanking her, Jane closed the passenger side door and hurriedly crossed the courtyard. Taking a deep breath, preparing herself for the death glare she was about to receive from her girlfriend, Jane gathered her courage and opened the door. _Please God, I don't want to go home in an ambulance tonight._

"Hey, there she is! About time, sis." Frankie exclaimed.

"So sorry I'm late, but, I come bearing gifts." She said, holding up the wine bottle with an innocent smile. Even though she apologized to everyone, she meant it for Maura, whom had been shooting her pointed looks since Jane had set foot in the house. The doctor despised when people came late to an event knowing the time it was held at beforehand. _I'll probably get a speech about punctuality instead of getting some._ Mentally kicking herself for not putting an alarm on her phone, Jane had realized that all the guests were huddled in the living room, some sitting down on the couch, the others standing around. She walked towards the group, setting the wine bottle on the dinner table before going to hug Frost and Korsak, thanking them for coming tonight.

"Wouldn't miss the chance to have a homemade Rizzoli meal." Vince replied with a genuine smile.

Tommy sat up and wrapped his sister in a hug "So, who's the lucky guy who you've been going on a 'secret' date on?" He asked excitedly, though he was reluctant to meet the guy. He was sure to give him a hard time just for dating his sister. _She's my sis, sure she protects Boston, but someone's gotta protect her, right?_

Jane smiled at Tommy briefly before pulling back from the hug and turning towards Frankie. Her smile instantly faded into a glare, with her jaw clenched tightly and her arms crossed against her chest.

Frankie immediately put his arms up in the air. "I didn't say anything. Well, just that I saw you go on a date with someone...I-I'll stop talking now." The police officer gulped and decided it was best if he didn't repeat everything he said to the guests about Jane's 'secret date', if he wanted to keep his head on his shoulders that is.

Jane glanced into the kitchen, catching Maura's eyes. _Dammit, she's still mad. _She gave Maura her best apologetic smile, but the doctor continued to shoot her daggers, figuratively speaking. _If looks could kill. _Jane turned towards the group and excused herself. "I'll be right back, guys." _Hopefully I didn't just lie to them. Hopefully the next time they see me won't be in a body bag._ The detective grabbed her courage by the balls, also figuratively speaking, and approached Maura and her mother.

"Nice of you to join us." Although it sounded casual, Maura intentionally stared into Jane's eyes to make sure the brunette understood it was directed at her lateness. "Would you help your mother and I set the table?" She asked innocently, smiling at the detective.

The doctor's scare tactics were effective; Jane thought she had two gaping holes where he eyes were._ I don't like this; I don't like this one bit._ But, she did as exactly as she was told and walk around the island to where Maura was. She stood closer to her than it was necessary as she helped the smaller woman gather the plates from the cupboard. "I'll make it up to you." Jane whispered in Maura's ear as she stretched her arm out to get another plate, placing her other hand on the counter, next to the doctor, effectively trapping Maura between her body and the counter.

"You better." Maura breathed out, her eyes threatening to close shut from the sparks travelling through her body as she felt Jane's front press against her back. "And you look incredibly delicious in this outfit." She added with a glint in her eye that showed the taller woman she wasn't angry with her anymore. _Maybe I should show her I can be dominant in the bedroom. I'm definitely the kind that would like her to use the handcuffs, but it would be hard to show her my dominance if I would the one bound to the bed. _

Smirking to herself, Jane watched Maura's backside as she brought wine glasses to the dinner table, setting them upside-down. The doctor was wearing a simple strapless, dark blue dress. The shape accentuated her toned legs and slim figure just like every dress she wore. Jane felt an elbow dig into her side, snapping out of her trance she looked to see who the sharp elbow belonged to. "Ouch, Ma, what was that for?" Jane asked with a frown, rubbing the sore spot.

"You were staring at Maura like she was a fresh cut piece of premium meat! Be more respectful!" Angela scolded harshly, pointing her finger at the blushing brunette.

"Sorry, I-" Truthfully, the detective didn't know what to say, but before she could find the right words, Angela interrupted her, her demeanour completely changing in less than a second.

"That shirt looks good on you." Angela commented with a cheerful smile before she started bringing the food on the table.

_Are they both set on making me go crazy tonight? _Jane asked herself with a head shake. She looked down at herself for the first time, wondering why she got all those compliments tonight. Three, to be precise: Maura, her mother and Marissa in the car. _And the three were women...I guess the guys at work were right. _The v-neck dipped down just enough to show off her collar bone, as it was a Men's model. The shirt stopped and sat just above a black leather belt. The black washed jeans had a few small rips on the left upper thigh, making it look casual without it seeming too trashy. She rolled her sleeves halfway up her forearm, revealing her usual silver wrist watch and took the set of seven plates to the table.

Everyone poured from the living room into the kitchen as soon as they smelled the delicious food. They sat down at the table, filled each other's wine glasses and opened beers, eager to start devouring the homemade meal. Jane made sure to take the seat next to Maura. She grabbed the honey-blond's wine glass and filled it with the Collioure Blanc she had at her place, though she'd never tell Maura it cost fewer than twenty dollars. _Tastes good, she never complained._ The brunette thought as she poured herself a glass also and offered it to everyone else. After a round around the table, the bottle was running on empty.

The dinner table was mostly silent, except for the sounds of forks and knives hitting plates. Nobody dared talk with their mouth full with Maura around, but the food was entirely too delicious to even think about speaking.

"So how did you get here, sweetie? Your car was parked out front." Angela was the first to break the silence, feeling a bit awkward that no one was talking, though she knew it was a sign that the meal was great.

"Marissa gave me a lift. I went for a run and stopped by my place to feed Jo and get a change of clothes." Jane answered in between bites.

"And nap." Maura teased, grinning at Jane as she took a slow sip of her wine after a mouthful of lasagna. She then looked at Angela with a serious face. "Marissa is very fond of your daughter." Maura pointed out.

"Maura, that's ridiculous. Have you smoked medicinal weed?" Jane responded quickly, wondering why the petite woman would even bring up this issue now. _Probably to make things more awkward before I announce that I'm gay and that we're dating, yay._

The doctor chose to ignore Jane at this point. "Sometimes she would come over and ask Jane for some sugar, even if she had some. I know this because, that morning I met Jane at her apartment for our routinely morning jogs she offered us coffee as we crossed paths in the lobby." Maura said, chuckling as if it was the funniest joke on this planet.

Jane frowned at Maura's explanation. "How in the _hell_ would that tell you she had sugar?"

"Who would offer coffee to their guest without having the proper condiments for it?" Maura retorted like it was as obvious as the answer to who had the most expressive face between Jane and a rock.

"Homeless people." Jane laughed at her own joke, but received a glare from her girlfriend who apparently found the joke inappropriate. "Sorry." The brunette mumbled.

"Don't you only go for runs when you're stressed out for something, Jane?" Frankie asked with a devious smile, which was soon erased as pain shot in his left shin. He glared at her sister, whom returned it with a 'shut your mouth or bad things will happen' look.

"Or to stay fit." Jane replied confidently, albeit she wasn't too sure herself, because her brother was right.

"That's right; didn't you have something to tell us, Jane?" Angela glanced at Frankie, then at her daughter with a forced smile.

_Really, Ma? Really? _The detective sighed and put her fork down. She chewed the rest of her food that was in her mouth as she wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans, suddenly having a great interest in the content of her plate. Now that news of her 'big announcement' was thrown out there, she couldn't back out now. _Come on Rizzoli, it's not like they'll run after you with torches and pitch forks. _"I-erm, well, it's-" Jane stuttered, at lost for words.

Maura tilted her slightly, her expression softening considerably at the sight of her nervous girlfriend. She placed a comforting hand over Jane's larger hand, squeezing it affectionately.

The brunette stared back into hazel eyes, holding Maura's gaze with a similar soft expression. The way Maura was staring at her alone gave Jane enough courage to speak, preferably without stuttering this time. She turned to look at her family and friends, who were all staring at her. Her mother and Frankie shared the same knowing smile, but the two detectives and Tommy had no idea what was going on. Her heart was hammering in her chest, but she knew it was now or never. "Me and Maura..." She paused, glancing at Maura and chose to correct herself before she did. "Maura and I are dating." Jane held her breath as soon as the words left her mouth, waiting to see how everyone was going to react. _Am I dead, is this death?_

"I knew it!" Detective Frost exclaimed, beaming at the two women. "How long have you two been playing hooky behind our backs? A few months?"

"We've only officially been in a relationship for two days, Barry." Maura informed, intertwining her fingers with the hand it was resting on.

Jane knitted her brows together. "Why do you assume we've been together longer?" _Was it that really obvious to everyone else BUT us?_ She wondered.

"Well, you two always look so..." Frost paused, carefully searching for the right word to describe the way these two women acted around one another.

"Domesticated, with each other." Vince finished for him.

"That's right, _domesticated_." The young detective confirmed with a nod.

"Thanks, I guess." Jane raised an eyebrow, wondering if she should take it as a compliment or not.

"I thought you two were staging these 'dates' with random guys to keep us from thinking you were actually together." Frankie added with a chuckle.

"Were we really that _gay _with each other?" The detective asked, astonished that she had never noticed they were acting like two teenagers in love.

"The looks." Angela said.

"The touchy feely attitude." Frost added.

"The way you're protective of Maura." Korsak commented.

"How they're practically attached to the hip wherever they go." Frankie continued.

Jane put both of her arms in the air, just like a referee would be if he initiated a time out. "Alright, alright we get it. We were...slightly oblivious." She finished, taking another massive piece of the lasagna and stuffing in her mouth.

"Oblivious? I call that _blind_." Frost corrected.

"Thaf's great, fhanks." The words came out muffed as Jane spoke around the food occupying the vicinity of her mouth.

"Jane, you're not an animal. Eat like a civilized human being." The doctor scolded.

"I'm hungry." Jane pointed out, in her defence.

"We have guests." Maura was quick to shut down Jane's defensive maneuver as she grabbed a napkin and whipped the sauce that was dripping down the brunette's chin.

"Thank you_, dear_." Jane replied sarcastically as she took a sip of her wine. She felt Maura give her right cheek a quick peck, making her chuckle into her glass at the unexpected kiss. She turned her head to smile at the woman in question, resting her arm against the back of Maura's chair. "More wine?" Jane asked.

Maura smile warmly at the brunette's soft but territorial gesture. "Sure, I'll try the white wine Vince brought." She replied, watching Jane grab the half empty bottle and pouring it into a new glass as to not mix the two flavors. "Thank you, honey." Maura was surprised that Jane would be this affectionate in public. She thought the brunette would have been awkward since this was new for the both of them and all of the guests in the room. The doctor scooted closer to her girlfriend, causing their thighs to sit comfortably one against the other. Maura took a sip of the wine to distract herself from the tingling sensation jolting down south.

Frankie fake gagged as he looked at the two women interact with each other.

"Oh, shut up." Jane said harshly to which Frankie replied by sticking his tongue out at his sister. Jane mimicked his actions and crossed her eyes as she did so.

Angela, who was staring at both women like they were Adam and Eve, or something equally divine, was broken out of her thoughts by her children's banter. "Kids, behave." She scolded.

"We're adults, Ma." The both replied simultaneously.

"Well, act_ like_ it." The Rizzoli mother quipped.

"This wine is exquisite Vince. Did you know that white wines are made differently from red wines?" The doctor asked no one in particular, addressing the whole room.

"No, you mean _white_ wine is _really_ made from _white_ grapes? Who knew?" The brunette retorted sarcastically.

Maura narrowed her eyes at Jane briefly, before continuing her explanation. "I meant that, unlike red wines, the skin and seeds aren't used. It's essentially fermented grape juice."

"To juice, that gets your drunk." Frankie said as he proposed a toast. Everyone laughed as they joined in and clinked their glasses together. Even Maura, who was afraid the glasses would break and even if the term the police officer used was incorrect.

Maura had noticed that Tommy wasn't actively participating in their social event, he barely cracked a smile. The doctor was intrigued, but she felt it wasn't her place to ask.

"How did...this come about?" Frost asked, gesturing his hand between Jane and Maura. "How did you tell each other?" He questioned further, genuinely curious about the matter.

"Knowing Maura it must have been _so_ romantic. Tell us, Jane." Angela demanded, clapping her hands together in excitement.

"I think that's a story for another night, Ma." Jane said, glancing at her girlfriend with a grin. They both laughed, but kept quiet about that specific evening.

"You've been awfully quiet Tommy, is something wrong?" Angela asked in a concerned tone.

"Nah, just got a lot of...stuff on my mind with my new place and finding a job." The younger brother reassured.

"Oh sweetheart, don't overstress yourself, it's not good for your health." Angela pressed.

"Jane and I are here for you, if you need help with anything." Maura offered.

"Yeah, anything you need you can ask 'lil brother." Jane confirmed with a nod.

"I can handle it on my own, thanks." Tommy said a little harshly, barely able to make eye contact with Jane, nor Maura. He excused himself from the table and abruptly left through the front door.

"What was _that_ about?" Frankie asked, stunned about this outburst.

"I'll go see what his problem is." Jane said as she got up from her seat as quickly as her younger brother did, and ran out the door. "Tommy, tommy!" She called out to him, spotting the man in question halfway through the court yard.

"Leave me alone, Jane." The ex-con said as he continued walking.

"What's your damage?" Jane asked angrily as she stepped forward and gripped his bicep, stopping him in his tracks.

"I thought you were a detective." Tommy retorted harshly, only slightly turning his head around.

"C'mon, that's not fair. Talk to me." Jane replied in a softer tone, hoping something bad hadn't happened to him. She would feel guilty, she already feels guilty for not seeing it sooner. With her job she hardly had any time to see her younger brother, but she knew she shouldn't use it as an excuse.

Tommy turned around as he felt the grip on his arm loosen and stared at his sister intensely. "I embarrassed myself trying to kiss Maura, I liked her, I really did. And now my own sister is dating her! How do you think I feel?" At first Tommy seemed to have relaxed, but the tension came right back as he raised his voice after every word spoken.

"Tommy, no, that's not how it is." The brunette said quickly. "You've got the wrong idea." She pressed, kicking herself mentally for not realizing how bad this looked.

"Oh really? Cause it feels like you just stabbed me in the back with a knife. Is that wrong, or should I feel happy my sister is a complete ASSHOLE?" The younger brother yelled, standing inches away from Jane's face, his temper slowly on the verge of blowing up.

"Hey, hey hey! Calm down. If you just let me explain-" Jane started, lifting both of her arms up, palms facing her brother as she tried to get him to settle down. However, Tommy didn't let her finish his sentence.

"NO! I'm tired of always being the one manipulated and deceived." His anger and the alcohol running in his system were clouding his judgment. At that moment all he saw was red. He shoved his sister back by roughly pushing her shoulders with both of his hands.

With her own anger, and wine, boiling up, the brunette walked right back into his personal space, pointing a finger right in his face. "You really wanna do this Tommy? Think about it." Jane said as a last resort before having to punch some sense into his thick skull.

"You're in the men's league now, sis. Are you gonna fight for her, or hide behind her?" They both stared into each other's eyes, adding fuel to the fire that was already sparked.

Jane exploded before him, grabbing the back of his head and bringing it down as she wrapped her other arm around his neck, increasingly tightening her hold around him as he tried to escape the firm grip. He placed both of his hands on her waist, pushing both of them forward until Jane's back crashed against the side Maura's house. She groaned in pain, the impact making her loosen her hold.

Quickly recovering, Jane charged at her brother, crouching down slightly to grab the back of his thighs, pulling up, making him fall on his back against the hard concrete. Tommy quickly rolled on top of her, trying to pin her arms on the ground. Using her hips, Jane rolled them around so she was the one on top. Jane stared down at him with her teeth clenched together tightly; she knew the words she wanted to speak but the adrenaline mixed the alcohol pumping into her veins rendered her unable to do so. She stood up, keeping a defensive fighting stance.

Tommy charged at the brunette the second he stood up, crashing into her stomach with his left shoulder, both of his arms around her back, his head craned in an uncomfortable position under her armpit. He intended on making her fall, but Jane was prepared for the impact, she put her left leg back and transferred the impact as she pushed forward with her whole body, trying to shove him off.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Maura yelled as she stepped outside to separate the fighting siblings. Frost, Korsak and Frankie ran outside to help the doctor, both of them holding Tommy back while Frankie was holding the brunette with Maura.

"Let me go!" Tommy yelled, trying to squirm free from the detective's grips.

"Calm down buddy." Frost said, gripping his shoulder as she held Tommy's left arm behind his back.

"Do you have any idea what you just did, son?" Korsak asked angrily, holding him the same way Frost was.

Tommy managed to break free, pushing both of them back violently. He stared at his sister with a fierce glare, his chest quickly rising and falling, before he turned around and walked away.

"Don't you dare walk away now, Tommy!" Jane yelled at him, trying to free her hands. However, she knew Maura was holding her and didn't want to hurt her, so she stopped struggling and stared at her younger brother's back.

"What are you gonna do, arrest me detective?" Tommy replied sarcastically as he continued making his way out of the yard.

"Jane, I can-" The sergeant started, but was rudely cut off by a brunette.

"No, let him walk away Korsak. It's fine." Jane said, short of breath, her hands on her knees as she leaned forward, trying to catch her breath.

Vince couldn't believe what Jane was saying. "It's not fine, Jane, he assaulted a police officer." Korsak pressed, gesturing his arm towards Tommy's disappearing form.

"I'll do it." Frankie said, intensity shinnying in his eyes. Although, he was stopped in his tracks as he felt a strong arm pressing across his chest. "Janie, you're my sister. He had _no_ right to do that to ya." The police officer reasoned.

"I said, let it go. It was both our fault, are you gonna arrest me too?" Jane replied harshly, placing a hand on her back and limped towards the front door. She felt a soft hand grip her arm, making her stop in her tracks. Even though her body disagreed with her immensely, she understood where her brother was coming from. While not thinking what he did was right, we all lose control sometimes. She just hopes Tommy can listen to her side of the story.

Maura gently placed Jane's arm around her neck and the other around her waist as she helped her into the house, sitting her down on one of the empty stool next to the island. She examined the detective's face with concern, though they were no sign of any lacerations or bruises. From the way Jane limped showed the doctor her back was bruised.

Angela put a hand on her mouth, the other sitting on her hip as she watched Maura check the extent of her daughter's injuries. She let everything that just happened sink in and still couldn't believe being to comprehend. "Jesus, Marry, Joseph, I never raised you kids to be so violent, especially towards each other." She said incredulously.

"We play fought all the time, Ma." Jane brushed it off.

"That wasn't play fighting, Jane. What the hell happened out there?" The middle brother asked angrily. He knew Jane and Tommy's personalities clashed often, especially when they were kids, but they aren't 12 anymore, punches and kicks don't just hurt, they're meant to.

"He thinks I purposely stole Maura away from him just to throw it in his face. He didn't wanna listen to what I had to say so it...got physical. We're both to blame, I should have known he wouldn't take it well." The brunette explained, looking down at her hands.

"This isn't your fault Jane, it was simply a misunderstanding on his part." Maura said as she rubbed Jane's back, stopping when she saw the woman hiss in pain at the touch.

"Yeah, it kinda hurts." Jane replied sheepishly as she looked up at Maura.

Frowning, Maura instructed Jane to move forward a bit so she could lift her shirt. After the red pullover was lifted halfway up, the doctor noticed a big red area. She poked it and Jane jumped as a jolt of pain ran all through her back. She was certain the brunette glared at her, but in order to properly diagnose it, she had to touch it. "It's fairly red right now, a bruise will most likely form in the next few hours and hurt the most in the next 12 to 14 hours. I'll get ice, sweetie." Maura said with a smile as she headed over to the refrigerator.

"My mother calls me that, Maur." Jane made a face at her girlfriend's choice of words.

Maura chuckled to herself as she filled a zip lock bag with ice cubes then grabbed a small cloth from one of the drawers and wrapped it around the cold bag. _I should really stock up on ice packs, _the doctor pondered.

"I'm sorry this ended so badly. I hope this didn't permenantly scar you into never coming to another crazy family dinner." The woman apologized to her friends and fellow officers, who were all huddled around her.

"Hey as long as the food is good enough to give me diabetes from just looking at it, I'll keep coming." Korsak joked, feeling the tone of the room should be lightened up after tonight's events.

"I'm glad you like my cooking this much." Angela said, flattered.

"There's no doubt you're a wonderful cook." Maura commented as she walked to Jane's side and gently held the bag against the slowly forming bruise.

"And you my dear, were an amazing sous-chef." Angela complimented the woman taking care of her daughter. She always liked the doctor and now that she was dating her daughter, she couldn't think of anyone else who would take better care of Jane. She felt confident her daughter was in good hands.

"I'm honored to have acquired that title, Ms. Rizzoli." Maura said with a smile, taking a small bow all while keeping the ice pressed against Jane's back.

"This hurts." The pouting brunette whined, staring at her girlfriend with puppy dog eyes.

"I think it would be more comfortable for you if you would go lay down." Maura advised with a small smile, pushing a few strands away from Jane's face.

"Sounds like a plan. Well guys, ow," A sudden unexpected pain shot in her back as she stood up, momentarily interrupting her. "I'm calling it a night." Jane finished.

"Good night ladies." Korsak said as he opened the front door.

"Rest well partner and thanks for everything." The young detective said goodbyes, still slightly shocked about what happened tonight. He wasn't happy with the decision Jane took, but he knew he couldn't change her mind.

Frankie gave the three women a hug, keeping his sister in his arms longer as he whispered something in her ear: If you ever need me too kick his ass, let me know sis. This earned him a chuckle from the brunette, who gently pushed on his shoulder. The police officer said his final goodbyes as he followed the two detectives out, closing the door behind him.

"G'night." Jane replied, lazily waving at them as she turned around and walked to Maura's bedroom.

"Ohh, so there's going to be a second sleep over in a row? When are you going to move in Jane?" Angela said in a suggestive tone, following the injured brunette.

"Are you trying to scare her away? It's only been two days!" Jane said incredulously, her eyes wide open like saucers.

"I don't think there are many things that would make me run away, so to speak." Maura commented as she followed the two women and sat on the edge of the bed next to Jane, who was trying to find a comfortable position.

"So what _are_ the things that would make you run away?" The brunette questioned, turning on her stomach, both of her arms lay along her body. She turned her head sideways, right cheek pressed into the pillow so she could see both of the occupants in the room. A strand of hair fell in her face making Jane groan and cross her eyes to glare at the obstructing hair. She blew air up on it, in a lethargic attempt of removing it from her face.

"Acute Mania, chromo bacterium violaceum-" The doctor started enumerating the various diseases as she properly nestled the makeshift ice pack against Jane's muscular back. _I've always been fascinated by Jane's back, actually, by every muscle in her body. They way they move, the way they feel against me..._Maura trailed off, feeling slightly embarrassed by her thoughts as she realized Angela was still with them in the room.

"On second thought, don't tell me." Jane cut Maura's ramble, mustering up enough energy to lift up her hand, palm facing the petite woman's face. She could have sworn she recognized the second term, though she sure as hell didn't want to remember what it meant.

"Did...I say something wrong?" Maura asked, creasing her forehead, looking between Angela and Jane with a slightly puzzled expression that the brunette found incredibly adorable.

"You're cute." Jane blurted out, smiling up at her girlfriend, suddenly forgetting they weren't alone.

"Thank you _detective_." Maura retorted in a sultrier tone than she meant, as she leaned down to kiss the side of Jane's mouth.

The detective turned her head, giving Maura full access to her mouth. After a few seconds of soundless kisses, Jane had an odd feeling she was forgetting something. She opened one eye to see her mother staring at the two with a dreamy smile on her face. "Ma! What are you doin'? Don't you have your own guest house?" She asked frantically.

"I guess I should-I'll leave you girls to it." Angela stammered,

"Good night Ma." "Good night Angela." Both of them said at the same time.

"Good night you two." Ms. Rizzoli said before retreating to the guest house.

"Annoying." Jane groaned into the pillow.

"Involved." Maura countered with a small smile as she started to undress and get ready for bed.

"Invader of privacy." The brunette retorted which earned her an eye roll from the doctor. A few moments later she felt the bed shift as Maura settled down beside her. The woman cuddled her side and wrapped an arm around her waist, laying her head on Jane's shoulder, careful not to hurt the brunette's back. Jane didn't have time to say good night before she fell in a deep comfortable sleep.

The honey-blond was too tired, and tipsy, to start arguing with Jane about sleeping with her clothes on. She was too exhausted to even slip under the covers. If she ever got chilly during the night, she had a perfectly warm body to cuddle further into. She sighed happily, her own sleep taking over as she listened to Jane's soft snoring.

* * *

><p>As the morning rolled by, Jane was sitting at the far left corner of the dinner table, case file open and all sorts of papers littered most of the table's surface. An opened beer was sitting close to the brunette's reach. The detective was making sure everything was in order before court Tuesday. Maura would have helped her, but she had to get some groceries before the week starts. Not that this was a hard case to nail, there were no witnesses, but they got the bastard and they had enough evidence to make the defendant attorney wish he had stayed home. Angela was kind enough to go to Jane's apartment and take care of Jo, talking her out for a walk and feeding her. <em>Poor Jo, must be feeling so lonely. Maybe I should bring her here. At least Maura's creepy ninja turtle would have a friend.<em>

Her thoughts, however, were interrupted as she heard a knock at the door. _Probably Maura with her hands full, _thought Jane as she got up from her seat, stretching her arms above her head and cracking her neck. Her back was still store, but it only hurt when she leaned back on anything, which made sitting down a very annoying task. _Damn, how long have I been sitting there?_ "You need any help-Oh, Tommy." She said opening the door quickly, chocking back her words as she looked at her younger brother with a dumbfounded expression. He was standing there with the famous Rizzoli puppy dog eyes. _"Come in." _Jane invited him in and sat down in her previous spot, wincing in pain and readjusting herself so the bruised part of her back wouldn't come in contact with the chair.

"Look Jane I-I..." The stammering ex-con looked more relaxed than the last time Jane had seen him, even though he clearly just stuttered. Seeing his sister in pain, because of his own stupid violent outburst made him want to punch himself in the face. "I'm sorry Janie, I didn't-I wasn't thinking clearly." He finally breathed out, sitting on the empty seat next to his sister. Only, he realized it wasn't empty as a few discarded papers covered the chair. He chuckled to himself and threw the papers on the table before taking a seat.

"No, Tommy, I understand. If I would have been in your shoes, I would have flipped shit too." Jane placed her hand on top of her brother's, titling her head as she stared at him with her own apologetic expression. "I hate that it seemed that way to you, but I'd never do anything like that to my brother. My intentions were far from trying to throw Maura in your face after what happened, or didn't, between you two." Jane shifted in her seat, resting her elbow on the back of the chair. "Me and Maura," She started, not bothering correcting her grammar as Maura wasn't here."We've always liked each other, in a way that platonic friends don't. We were just too scared to admit it to each other. Even more scared to admit it to ourselves. People are more open today, sure, but not everyone will throw confetties and streamers at us, y'know? There are social repercussions for being gay, even today, and I'm not sure we were ready for that then. But, we are now." Jane explained, a soft smile appearing on her lips.

Tommy returned the smile, taking his sister's hand in his own, giving it a gentle squeeze as he began speaking. "I get it, Jane, coming out...takes balls. You're courageous, sis, really. I'm proud of you and I'm sorry if my behaviour last night didn't show my support. I should have listened to you, but I was too busy being a jerk and for that I'm truly sorry." Tommy apologized sincerely.

"I was being a jerk too." Jane simply stated, running a hand through her messy dark curls.

"You laid a smack down on me. I understand now why the guys are the stations are scared of ya." Tommy said, making them both laugh as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"I'll take that as a compliment. Come here." Jane said, leaning forward and wrapping both of her arms around her brother. "I love you, Tommy."

"I love you too, Janie." The ex-con replied, wrapping his arms protectively around his sister as he squeezed her tighter. Although it looked like a simple hug, to the two siblings it was a promise. A promise that they had each other's backs, that Tommy was going to protect his sister the best he could and that Jane would do everything in her power to keep her youngest brother on the right path. The front door opened, breaking their moment, yet Jane wasn't going to hold a grudge on that person.

A very breathless looking Maura was quickly clacking her way towards the island, with her red Jimmy Choo heels, to place down the dozen grocery bags she had on her arms. Maura let out a heavy sigh as she turned around, surprised to see two sets of eyes staring at her. "Hello Tommy." She greeted with a smile, patting down her dress as she made her way towards the siblings, standing beside Jane. The younger Rizzoli simply lifted a hand, a small guilty smile appearing on his face once again. She noticed, by the lack of hostility, that the two must have made up. Maura wrapped her arm around Jane's shoulders, making the brunette look up at her.

"I would have helped you with the groceries." Jane said, feeling sorry for the doctor who had to carry all those in, in heels no less. She wrapped her arm around Maura's waist, pulling her closer.

"Thank you for your concern, kind knight, but contrary to popular belief, I'm not a damsel in distress." The doctor joked, squeezing Jane's shoulder gently.

"Well, any woman who can balance twelve grocery bags with heels should be called Super Woman. I will...refrain from," Jane paused, making a face as she thought over what to say. "Dishonoring your brave courage, m'lady." She finished in her best old English accent, earning a hearty laugh from Tommy.

As his laughter died down, the youngest Rizzoli turned his attention to Maura. "I wanted to apologize for what I did yesterday and for ruining your dinner."

"You hardly ruined it Tommy, but you're right, your behaviour, both of your behaviours, were especially tasteless for a family gathering. Nonetheless, I accept your apology." Maura said, smiling warmly at the siblings. If Jane had found a common ground with her brother, the honey-blond had no choice to do the same.

"Thank you, it won't ever happen again." Tommy promised.

"Oh, honey, I bought you something." Maura remembered as she walked to the numerous bags on the island, looking through them until she found a white, square box.

"Really, what is it?" Jane asked, as she turned around to look at the doctor pulling out said present.

"Cannolis." Maura answered, as she made her way back to Jane and opened the box, a grin plastered on her face.

"Maur, you went all the way to North End to get me those?" Jane asked clearly astonished, staring at her like a love sick puppy.

"They're your favorite." The honey-blond replied simply with a shrug as she offered one to Tommy, who gladly grabbed one.

"You're the best." The brunette gushed as she quickly grabbed a tube of creamy goodness. Just as she was about to attempt stuffing it all in her mouth, she was stopped by a frantic looking Maura.

"Jane! I don't think you should eat all of that. I worry about your sugar levels." The doctor explained as she yanked the desert from Jane's hand.

The detective groaned and crossed her eyes briefly as the delicious cannoli was ripped from her hand. "Of course you do." Jane said in an emotionless tone.

Maura walked back to kitchen, placing the cannoli in a plate and cutting it in half, making sure the two sides were exactly symmetrical.

Tommy chuckled as he stuffed half of the pastry down his throat.

"Hey! Why does _he_ get to eat a full one?" The brunette whined, pointing an accusing finger at her brother.

"Mmm, this is really good, sis." Tommy teased, over exaggerating.

"Because, _he_ has to walk back to his apartment which will burn most of the glucose he ingested." Maura explained, giving Jane the plate with a half cannoli on it. "And _you_ will sit most of the day and drink beer, which also has high levels of saccharine." The doctor deepened, briefly rubbing the brunette's neck and leaning down to kiss her cheek. "You'll thank me when you'll be diabetes free during your golden age."

"I'm sure, yes. How could I have ever survived without you?" Jane dramatized as she stuffed all of the cannoli in her mouth, in a very un lady-like manner.

"Or maybe I'll purposely add twice the recommended dose of sugar in every meal, slowly making you vulnerable to the disease." Maura said, narrowing her eyes at her girlfriend.

"That's pretty dark,_ dear_, have you considered playing in the Saw movies?" Jane quipped sarcastically around a mouthful of cannoli.

"Well that's my cue; I have a job interview soon, so." Tommy said, chuckling at the women's interaction. They sure were a sight to see. _I guess opposites do attract._

"Good luck 'lil bro." Jane said as she licked the cream off of her fingers.

"That's wonderful Tommy. Be sure to give us the '411' when it's over." Maura said, using air quotes around the numbers, laughing slightly.

Jane made a face that represented terror and disgust in a very expressional package.

"Isn't that what teenagers use these days to replace the formality of words like summary, synopsis or even recap?" The doctor questioned confused by Jane's reaction.

"Oh yeah, you so fly, Dr. D." The brunette said enthusiastically as she stepped closer to Maura, making gestures with her hands as if she was dusting off the doctor's shoulders.

"I'm 'fly'?" The petite woman looked puzzled.

"Never mind." Jane replied, shaking her head and chuckling.

"I'll see you two later." The ex-con said before turning and leaving, not wanting to get implied in this.

"Good luck Tommy." Maura replied, quickly walking into the living room as soon as the door closed, wincing with every step she took. "As much as these shoes are elegant and beautiful, they hurt." She sat down on the couch and carefully removed the Jimmy Choos.

"Well maybe if you wouldn't wear something that resembles a foot corset and a needle for a heel, they wouldn't." Jane joked as she followed her girlfriend in the living room, taking a sip of her beer, grinning.

"Very funny, detective." The doctor replied, wincing again as she tried to rub the soreness from her foot.

"I try." Jane retorted, taking a seat at the other end of the couch and putting her feet up on the table. As she took another swig of her beer, she felt a pair of legs settle across her lap. Tentatively, she turned her head to see Maura smiling at her a little too expectantly. _I know where this is going, _Jane thought.

"Massage me." Maura asked sweetly, wiggling her toes on the brunette's lap.

"Fine." Jane caved, leaning forward to set her beer down on the coffee table before she started to rub the soreness from the doctor's feet. How could she say no to the most beautiful smile she has ever seen?

"Mm, that feels good. Don't stop, Jane." Maura moaned, feeling the stress in her feet slowly melting away. She could really get used to this, being pampered by Jane and vice versa. Whenever she's with the brunette, she felt at home. Which, in turn, brought her the topic Angela had tactlessly brought up last night. "I think it would be an advantage to start thinking about you moving in with me, permanently."

Jane wasn't sure if her girlfriend's moans made her hear distorted things, or if she was really hearing this. "Don't get me wrong, I love you, but isn't it a bit too soon to?"

"Oh, it is. I was just speaking of something that could possibly be an option in a few months from now. Ouch, Jane not so hard." Maura jerked her foot away as pain shot through it. Jane immediately apologized and continued to massage the doctor's feet in a gentler manner. "What do you think?" She asked, feeling suddenly very nervous.

"I think that," Jane paused for a second, holding Maura's stare. "It's a very possible option. In the next few months." She added, smiling widely at her girlfriend.

Maura sat up and scooted herself closer to Jane, her legs now at a 90 degree angle over Jane's lap. She leaned forward and softly kissed the brunette, sucking on her bottom lip for a few seconds before pulling back. "Wonderful." She clapped her hands together excitedly with a broad smile. However, her smile faded as she felt Jane's hands move up on her legs. "I didn't say you could stop."

"God, woman." Jane groaned as she did as she was told and continued massaging Maura's sore feet. _I'm whipped and we haven't even been together for a full week. That's gotta be a record._


	4. Hanging

**A/N: I hear you loud and clear Dallas, here's a 3 part murder case. It will be shorter than usual. I didn't want to overwhelm you with all the murders in one big chapter. Also, I wanted to get this out before I start my night shifts, because for the next five days I will only work, eat and sleep. Hope you enjoy this, let me know what you think. :)**

* * *

><p>Jane and Maura were walking side by side, their steps perfectly in time (even though Maura had to walk slightly faster because of her height disadvantage), fingers interlocked together. The atmosphere was quiet, but relaxed, the only sounds were coming from the women's shoes hitting the concrete and Jo's panting. Poor thing was getting a workout, her tiny legs not able to keep up with the duo. Nearly two months had passed, summer was coming to an end and autumn was quickly rolling in. It was starting to get chilly out at night, but not cold enough that a jacket was a necessity. The good doctor, however, took advantage of this as she laid her head down on Jane's shoulder.<p>

"You cold?" The detective asked. She was wearing her usual button up shirt, which wasn't considerably warmer than the blouse and jacket Maura was wearing. Though, Jane wasn't going to call her on it, she was perfectly happy cuddling the petite woman for no apparent reason.

"It is quite chilly out." Maura replied vaguely, knowing she couldn't straight out lie and say she was cold when she actually wasn't. She placed her arm around the detective's waist, but decided at the last minute to slip her hand in Jane's back pocket, squeezing the squishy flesh under her hand.

"Are we getting grabby, Dr. Isles?" Jane asked in a horse voice. She would have been surprised that this simple gesture managed to get her worked up this quickly, but the brunette has gotten accustomed to it. She manages to keep her cool at work and not stutter like an idiot every time Maura displays her affection in front of her co-workers. The first week was hectic, with all the clapping and whistling going around. Needless to say Jane blew up pretty quick and scared a rookie so bad he now always looks down at the floor every time he sees the detective.

Maura didn't say anything and simply sighed contently as she felt a strong arm wrapped around her shoulders. Sadly, nothing this sweet lasts forever. They were interrupted as Jane's phone started ringing. _If it's a dead body, I'll call in sick. But, I can't lie. Shoot!_ The honey-blond thought with a sigh.

"Rizzoli." Jane answered. She knew at this hour it could either be operations or her mother. Albeit, it was neither of those. She stopped in her tracks, almost making her girlfriend lose her balance from her sudden movement, or lack of, to be precise. The brunette looked at Maura with wide eyes mouthing "It's the Queen", to her. "Yes, er, it's an honor to talk to you, this time around." She joked.

The doctor practically glued her hear against the hand Jane was holding her phone with, trying to listen in on the conversation. However, she could only hear faint muffled sounds.

"Definitely, yes. That-That's amazing, thank you. I will, take care now." Jane didn't have time to close her phone before the petite woman was throwing questions at her like an eager five year old asking 'why' all the time.

"What did she say? Did she invite you for a royal dinner? How does she sound over the phone? Sophisticated?"

"Maur, slow down. You're giving me a headache." Jane said at the woman practically jumping up and down in front of her. "She's going to rename her palace after me and she's giving me a paid vacation to London whenever I can." She explained, still in slightly in awe. Palace Rizzoli sure had a nice ring to it.

"That's so exciting Jane! London is gorgeous. We can go visit the Royal Academy of Arts." Maura stated excitedly.

"Pubs with micro brewed beer."

"The Imperial War Museum."

"Rugby Match!"

"Greenwich park."

"Chef Ramsey."

"Traditional London restaurants."

"More beer." Jane finished, having to stop herself from drooling at the thought. Jo Friday had barked at the last statement, making both women chuckled and continued their walk, hand in hand.

"Are you prepared for your big day tomorrow?" The petite blond asked casually.

"You know it." Jane rasped and leaned down, capturing Maura's lips with her own.

* * *

><p>The next morning our favorite detective was kneeling by a pile of miscellaneous belongings and a half full card board box, trying to sort out what's junk and what she wants to keep. <em>Who am I kidding, I ain't ready. What am I suppose to know what to keep and what to throw away? <em>Jane thought as she continued to stare at the items in front of her like they had just descended from a space ship. She wished Maura would just hurry up and get here. Feeling a hand on her back, she turned around to see Frankie smiling down at her. She forced a smile in response.

The young officer kneeled down beside Jane, who looked utterly defeated. "You look like you need some help."

"That's an understatement." Jane sighed as she lay back on the floor, one of her legs completely outstretched, the other one bent at the knee. She rocked her outstretched foot from left to right on her heel.

"So you're gonna play dead until Maura gets here?" The older brother asked disbelievingly.

"Yep." Jane replied drily.

"Cry me a river."

"Get me a coffee and doughnuts, _officer_."

Growling, Frankie jumped on top of Jane, though he was careful not to knee her in the stomach as he did so. He tried to tickle her sides, but the detective was quick to grab his hands. The both laughed between strained groans as the siblings held to each other's wrists, fighting for dominance, pushing back and forth.

Jane realized she was going to lose and it was only a matter of minutes before her arms would tire out. Smirking, the brunette sucked in as much air as she could, stuck her tongue out and released the air causing a wide spray of spit to fly out of her mouth and land on Frankie's unexpected face.

"Gross!" The police officer said, frantically whipping away the spit with the sleeve of his shirt as she hopped off the brunette. "You play dirty, Rizzoli." Frankie mimicked his sister's position, lying down on his back.

"All is fair in love and war." Jane retorted, interlocking her fingers together behind her head.

"What are you two clowns doin'?" Tommy questioned as he stepped in the living room to see his siblings lying on the ground, doing nothing remotely productive.

"Waiting for Maura." They both replied.

Tommy chuckled, rolling his eyes at them as he sat down beside the brunette. He spotted one of Jane's softball trophies from high school. He grabbed said trophy from the pile. A shiny baseball player, presumably swinging at a ball, was sitting on top of a wooden base. The engravings on the golden plate read: Jane Rizzoli, MVP Massachusetts High School Softball Team. "Remember that game, sis?"

"How could I forget? We were down by 1, bottom of the ninth." Jane started, a small smile forming on her lips.

"Your turn at bat came up. I can't imagine how nervous you must have been, but you kept your cool, waited for the right ball and you swung like hell." Frankie continued dramatically.

"The field was so quiet it echoed louder than a .50 caliber gun shot. We all knew it was a home run."The younger brother finished.

Jane lifted up her head to stare at her brothers, arching one of her perfect eyebrows. "When did this turn into Happy Gilmore?" Her question was answered by Tommy who simply stuck his tongue out at her. The brunette perked up instantly as she heard a knock at the door. She pushed her younger brother's head down and quickly scampered to her feet as Tommy chased after her. She bolted towards the door and slid to a stop inches away from it. She quickly opened it to reveal a smiling doctor. _Damn, why does she always look so beautiful? _Jane swiftly moved behind Maura, using her as a shield.

"Not fair." The ex-con complained, also having to put on the brakes to keep him from crashing into Maura.

"Told you, she plays dirty." Frankie commented from his position on the floor.

Tommy narrowed his eyes, pointing to his sister before using his thumb to trace an imaginary line along his neck.

Jane poked her head from behind the doctor, flashing her brother a shit eating grin as she wrapped her arms around the smaller woman's waist.

"What would you like me to do?" The honey-blond asked cheerfully as she turned around in Jane's embrace.

The brunette leaned in to whisper in her girlfriend's ear. "Everything." She just couldn't resist taking advantage of this innuendo.

"Later." Maura whisper, winking at her.

"Did you bring the...?" Jane asked in a lowered voice, raising an eyebrow as she looked down at Maura.

The doctor simply smiled and patted her channel purse a few times.

"Good." Jane rasped, looking over Maura's shoulder as she was going to call Tommy over. She only had time to open her mouth before she felt her girlfriend grab the front of her shirt and crash their lips together. After a few minutes, the brunette pulled back. "What was that for?" She asked breathlessly, her lips swollen.

"Your voice, Jane." The doctor breathed, running her thumb over Jane's bottom lip.

"What about my voice?" She questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm having a strong, physical and chemical response to a certain stimuli, which is raising my heart beat and blood pressure." The doctor explained, to the best of her ability.

"English would be preferable." Jane retorted.

"Your voice turns me on, it's so incredible sexy." Maura deepened.

Jane's eyes nearly bugged out of her head at her girlfriend's confession. She quickly cleared her throat and backed them into the apartment. "Alright, let's go in now. We got work to do." She croaked out as she closed the door.

Maura nodded, trying to shake away thoughts, which she shouldn't have in the presence of her girlfriend's family. "Right, of course, packing."

"Janie! Look what I found." Angela exclaimed, bursting from Jane's room, waving around something that looked like a photo album.

"She's busy swapping spit with Maura." Frankie said as he and Tommy used prongs to place some of Jane's boots in the box. Both brothers high fived each other after they had successfully packed her shoes without having to use gas masks. The police officer looked at the prongs for a second and threw them in the 'trash' pile.

"No-no, we're not. We're here..._not _making out." Jane said hurriedly. The brunette was too busy staring in horror at the photo album her mother had found to realize what her brothers were doing. "I thought I burned that thing years ago." She said in a low venomous voice as if Hoyt had come back to life and was standing in front of her.

"If your intentions are to burn all your childhood memories, then I'll keep it." Ms. Rizzoli said in a disappointed tone.

"Please do." Jane retorted, almost pleadingly.

"May I?" The doctor asked sweetly.

"Of course sweetie, let's go look at it, _without_ Jane." Angela added, narrowing her eyes at her daughter.

"Why do you two always gang up on me when you're together?" The detective whined, stomping her foot on the ground.

"Because we love you." They both answered, as they made themselves comfortable on the couch, casually flipping through the pictures of Jane throughout the years.

"Then try to love me a little bit less, yeah?" Jane rolled her eyes as the purposely ignored her. She moved behind the couch, sliding her hand up and over Maura's shoulder, down to grab the woman's purse. I know what you were thinking. She ruffled through all the useless make up and hand sanitizer, finally finding what she was looking for: an envelope. She thought it would be the best time to hand this to her brother. The brunette wasn't usually good with revealing surprises. "Hey Tommy, come here for a sec." Jane called out to him as she walked in the kitchen and leaned back against the counter.

"What's up, sis?" The younger Rizzoli asked, jumping up to sit on the counter opposite to the one his sister was leaning against.

"Here, it's from me and Maura."Jane took a few steps forward, handing him the plain, white envelope. "Read it." She said, looking at him expectantly, chewing on her thumbnail.

"Dear Mr. Rizzoli, oh, this sounds important. You have been accepted to the...UTI? Jane, you got me into UTI?" Tommy exclaimed as he looked up at his sister and crunched up the paper in the midst of his excitement. He was stunned, floored and all of the synonyms you could find in a thesaurus.

"Technically, Maura did. She pulled some strings and got you a place in the mechanics program." Jane explained, crossing her arms over her chest. She smiled as she remembered having the same reaction when Maura told her she got him in the program. She loved her brother and would do anything for him, but she wants him to go up the ladder by himself. She gave him the ladder, all he has to do is figure out how he wants to take his steps.

Tommy rushed to envelope his sister into a tight hug, pulling her off the ground for a few seconds before putting her down. "Holy shit, that's-that's amazing! Thank you, _so_ much."

Jane chuckled, groaning as her brother squeezed the air out of her lungs. "Just promise me one thing: kill it out there 'lil brother." Just as Tommy was about to question the brunette, her cell phone rang. She grabbed it from its place on her hip and brought the phone to her ear. "Rizzoli."

Just a few seconds passed, and Maura's phone rang also. "Dr. Isles" She answered.

"On my way."

"I'll be right there."

"Fantastic." The detective voiced sarcastically. Sighing, she ran a hand through her hair, looking at the mess that was her apartment, soon to be her mother's apartment.

"Don't worry about a thing, sweetie. Your brothers and I will finish this for you." Angela said, placing a comforting hand the brunette's shoulder. She understood her daughter had a very important job to do, even if she didn't always approve of it.

"Really? Thank you Ma." Jane shoulder's visibly relaxed, letting her arms fall to her sides. She smiled warmly at her mother, wondering what she did to deserve such a loving family. They hugged briefly, before Jane grabbed her Police issued Glock and her badge, placing them both in their respective places on her belt. "And pack _necessities_ only, got it? Necessities _only_." She repeated, pointing her finger at Angela as she did so.

"I'll try to remember, but who knows, your mother is getting old, sometimes important details just slip off my mind." Ms. Rizzoli responded melodramatically.

Jane rolled her eyes as she gently coaxed Maura out of the door, closing it behind them.

* * *

><p>The two women had made it to the crime scene in a record time as Jane insisted they use her Ford. After only a few short curse filled minutes in traffic, the detective opened her lights, breezing past the mass of cramped cars just as easily as a Ninja motorcycle would.<p>

"You were a cute baby." Maura teased as she got out of the car, thankful her feet were touching the solid ground. Car rides with Jane always managed to startle the woman, especially when the brunette felt like it was a good time to tie her hair into a pony tail.

"Don't you start." Jane warned. She held the yellow 'do not cross' tape up for Maura, waiting for her to pass under before following the doctor.

Maura was going to thank Jane for being such a gentleman, but she spotted Barry standing beside the run down industrial building, holding himself up with one hand as he emptied the content of his stomach on the ground. "Well that's odd, detective Frost hasn't regurgitated at a crime scene in quite some time." She remarked.

Chuckling, Jane walked up to her partner, slapping a hand on his back. "What's up Frost? Did ya see a shadow of something that might have looked dead?" She teased, winking at Korsak as she too, put on a pair of blue latex gloves.

"Funny." The young detective croaked, spitting his saliva.

Vince laughed and shaked his head. "Stinks pretty bad in there ladies." He warned.

Jane nodded as she followed Korsak's lead.

The petite blond place a hand on Frost's back, just like Jane hand, though she used a more delicate approach. "Try to steady your breathing and you should get on your knees. Regurgitation is easier when you're slouched over, as it pushes your stomach's contents upwards. It lessens the strain on your gag reflex and your sternohyroid muscles, though you will get stomach aches afterwards."

"Maura, come on." The brunette called out, waiting for her girlfriend. There was an out of place cement platform, with a 3 foot drop and she knew the woman wouldn't be able to jump down in the fancy high heels she chooses to wear.

Maura happily complied, as she made her way into the building, only to stop when the 3 foot drop came into view. Her eyebrows creased as she wondered if she should ask a uniform to bring a ladder of some sort. "Jane, I..." She trailed off as she watched Jane effortlessly jump down, turn around and stretched out her hand to the distressed fashionista with a smile. "Thank you." Maura said with a wide smile, taking the brunette's outstretched hand.

"No problem." Jane placed a hand on Maura's hip as she helped her down. They both stayed in this position, smiling at each other until they heard a cough which pulled them out of their reverie.

The two women crossed the building's length, the broken windows and holes in the ceiling offered a decent amount of lighting. However, it wasn't the case for the room they were about to enter. They could already smell the stench and the detective knew it was about to get worse. Maura covered her nose and mouth with one gloved hand, while Jane used her jacket sleeve to block the awful smell.

The room was small and poorly lit. Uniforms had placed a portable area light. Although not strong, the light shinned on a woman's body. She was hanging upside down; an industrial chain was attached to a ceiling hook and wrapped around both of her legs. Her throat had been slit and there was a bathtub under her.

Jane walked further into the room, still covering her nose as her eyes scanned the disturbing scene. "Oh my God..." She breathed out. Sure, she had seen hundreds of murders, but few of them were as macabre and deliberate as this.

"How awful." Maura added. Even if she felt terrible for the woman, she had to remain professional. She had a job to do after all. She moved closer, removing her hand from her face to examine the fatal cut. "These blood stains along her neck and jaw indicate that she was drained of her blood in this position." She then looked down at the bathtub which, even though it was stained for the most part, was empty.

The brunette followed suit, standing beside Maura. She turned her attention to the empty bathtub. "Looks like the son of a bitch who did this took her blood with him." She remarked coldly.

"Now we can't assume that, but I will take a blood sample from the victim and from the bathtub."

"Do you think it was filled up with her blood?" The brunette asked.

"The human body approximately holds five liters of blood. A bath like this holds around 100 to 150 liters of water. If it was completely filled up, it's quite possible this woman wasn't the only victim." Maura expertly commented.

Jane nodded; her girlfriend's knowledge of useless facts came in handy in situations like these. She inched closer, squinting her eyes as she noticed some sort of pattern, or writing in the tub. The detective took out her flashlight and pointed it at the area in question. Two letters had been written with, presumably, the woman's blood: B.D. "You, could you take a picture of this?" She asked one of the criminalists. The man nodded and did as he was told. "B.D." Jane said out loud, her face scrunched up as she tried to work out what it could possibly mean.

"Initials perhaps?" Maura asked as she secured both of her samples into small containers.

Jane looked up at Korsak. "Do we know who she is?"

"We didn't touch anything. I told them to wait for you and Dr. Isles." The sergeant informed. Vince knew this was unusual and he didn't want to risk losing anything that could help them solve this gritty murder.

Jane placed the end of the flash light hilt in her mouth, carefully searching the woman's jacket. She grabbed the victim's wallet, but there was something else there, an envelope. The brunette examined it quickly, it wasn't sealed and there were the same initials written on it: B.D. She handed it to Vince who placed it in an evidence bag. Jane then opened the woman's wallet and pulled out her driver's license. "Emily Johnson, 36 years old." She read. "Local." Jane added, sighing as she placed back the card where she took it. "Doesn't match the initials in the bath." _What did they mean? _

"Get the coroners; we're ready to move this body to the morgue." Maura told one of the police officers.

* * *

><p>Back at the Boston Police Department headquarters, Maura was getting ready to perform the autopsy. Seeing the woman's body lying on her table seemed much less disturbing than they way they had found her. The doctor had gone through hundreds of autopsies, yet something about this particular case didn't sit right with her. As she put on her gloves, the doctor quickly got to work, thoroughly inspecting every inch of the woman's body and insides. Just as she was about to stitch up the Y incision, she heard footsteps get closer and the door open. Maura didn't have to look up to know it was Jane.<p>

"Anything?" The detective asked, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned against an empty autopsy table.

"Nothing unusual. She was healthy, exercised often and she had a very strict vegan diet."

"Did she tattoo her menu on her arm?" Jane asked, lifting an eyebrow as she wondered how the doctor could possibly know this.

Maura made a face at her girlfriend's sarcasm. "There were traces of semi-digested egg and other dairy substitutes which is an essential part of any vegan nutrition." She happily informed.

"And how exactly did you know they were substitutes, did ya get hungry?"

"Of course not, there's-"

"Maura, I could care less if you told me she ate people. What killed her?"

"Exsanguination."

"Nothing else?"

"Other than the marks on her legs and her hands that suggest she was bound beforehand, nothing relevant." Maura replied as she took off her blood stained gloves and disposed of them.

"No finger prints anywhere, initials and a poem that we found in the envelope..." Jane trailed off, biting her lower lip.

Maura caught what the brunette was trying to say. "Do you think we're dealing with someone who's experienced?"

"Seems like it. I mean, he went to great lengths to show off her body and didn't leave any evidence behind except what he wanted us to find."

"I'm sure you'll find something." Maura said as she walked around the autopsy table to stand in front of Jane.

"Will do." Jane smiled, pushing herself off the table and stepping closer towards the smaller woman.

"I'll run a couple more tests. If there's anything I'll let you know." Maura lifted her hand up to readjust the brunette's dark curls that had fallen in front of her face.

"Sounds good." The detective leaned down, briefly kissing her girlfriend. "I'll see you later, Maur."

Maura simply nodded as she watched Jane's retreating form.

* * *

><p>Jane leaned back in her chair, far enough to let her head fall back behind the backrest. She let the piece of paper she had in her hands fall down on her face as she groaned loudly, letting both of her arms hang on either side of the arm rests. It was way passed dinner time, and she felt like having a long one on one with a punching bag.<p>

"Maybe it's a dead end, Jane; to keep us off track." Detective Frost commented.

"He left it there for us to find, Frost. He _wanted_ us to find it. There _has_ to be something there." The brunette remained in her current position, her breath making the paper jump with every few words spoken.

Maura had just stepped out of the elevator and was making her way towards Jane's desk. She chuckled when she saw in what position the brunette was in. "Jane, you'll hurt your Latissimus Dorsi muscle if you stay like that for too long."

"Thanks, _mom_." Jane retorted sarcastically. She blew on the piece of paper and watched it slowly fall down in her lap. The brunette truly hated not being able to figure its meaning. It was bugging her, she needed to know why. Was it a message or just his way of trying to become a famous poet? Either way, it wouldn't work in his favor. She glanced at Maura out of the corner of her eye, immediately feeling awful for her bitchy attitude. "I'm sorry, Maur. We've been trying to find the author and nothing popped up. We figured he's the one who wrote it, but we have no damn clue what it means_, if_ it even means anything." Jane sighed and let her head fall on her desk.

Maura took a seat on the corner of Jane's desk, rubbing the brunette's tense shoulder. "Let me read it."

"Knock yourself out." Jane mumbled, taking the paper from her lap and lifting it up in the air.

The doctor took hold of the paper, scrunching her eyebrows as she began to read it.

_The man on the rock watches,_

_Leaves falls around him,_

_Immobile, unable to utter a word,_

_The world revolves around him, yet he's bound to his rock._

_A woman below watches,_

_Torn between two,_

_Heaviness in the pit of her stomach,_

_Immobile, she stares at the man on the rock._

"It seems like a very psychological piece of literature. It's a shame to say the man who wrote this is capable of grotesquely murdering an innocent woman. Poems were often old societies' way of storytelling, such as Beowulf in the 7th century. " Maura explained as she folded the poem and set it down on Jane's desk.

"That was an awesome movie." Barry added.

"You mean 'cause you got to see Angelina Jolie _naked_?" The brunette teased, raising an eyebrow as she stared at him accusingly.

"I plead the fifth." Frost replied, lifting both of his hands up.

"Gross."

"I thought_ you_ would understand." The young detective quipped.

"I...plead the fifth also."

"I think that's enough pleading the American Constitution for one night. It's late, honey. You should get some rest. " In any other circumstance, Maura's voice would have been concerned and soft. However, being greatly displeased with Jane's answer led the woman's tone to become colder.

Frost's grin fell instantly, Maura's cold tone sending chills down his back. _Shit...I just got my partner in trouble with the doctor._ "I'm gonna go with the Doc on this one." He faked a yawn as he quickly grabbed his jack from the back of his chair and left without saying anything else.

"You're right, let's go. I could eat a horse." Jane replied casually, seemingly oblivious to her girlfriend's anger as her head was still down on her desk. She stood up, stretched her arms high above her head before moving closer towards Maura with a smirk on her face.

The doctor knew what was coming, she waited until Jane's lips were almost on hers before sidestepping quickly, leaving the brunette to kiss the air. "Well, we better get going then. I can't wait to see what you're going to cook for us."

Frowning, Jane opened one of her eyes to see Maura was already making her way towards the elevators. She sped up her walk to catch up with the woman. "Hey, why me?" The brunette protested. "It's not 'cause of that Jolie comment, is it?" She asked, but received no answer.

The doctor cocked her head as she glared at her girlfriend, before turning her attention towards the stainless steel doors in front of them.

"C'mon Maur..." Jane pleaded, slapping her hand over her face at her own stupidity._ One ticket to the dog house, special delivery for Jane Rizzoli. _The duo stood in silence, waiting for the elevator. This was going to be a long night.


	5. Countdown

**A/N: I felt like you all required a little cliff hanger in your lives. Don't hate me too much, yeah? Hope you have fun reading and thank you all for the reviews :) Points to those who get the Buffy reference ;)  
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* * *

><p>Our favorite crime fighting duo awoke from their peaceful slumber by Maura's phone buzzing on the bed side table. "Maura..." The brunette whined sleepily, drawing out the doctor's name longer than she needed too. "Get it."<p>

"You get it." Was the doctor's reply as she snuggled deeper into the lanky body spooning her from behind. She slid her hand down the arm that was wrapped around her stomach, lightly running her finger tips along Jane's scar before intertwining their fingers together.

"Too comfy, you get it." Jane said as she sunk her head in the crook of Maura's neck, pulling the woman tighter against her.

"No, you."

"Maura, it's _your _phone."

"Just get it, Jane."

"But you're closer!" The detective protested.

Rolling her eyes, Maura turned around to face Jane. "Now I'm not." She said with a smirk before cradling her head under the taller woman's chin.

"Woman..." The brunette grunted as she stretched out her arm as far as she could get it without disturbing her girlfriend. She slapped her hand down on the phone and brought it to her ear. "Rizzoli." She rasped her name before her brain had time to register she had Maura's phone. "I mean, Dr. Isles...We'll be right there." Sighing, she threw the phone on the bed. "Duty calls."

"I don't want to go to school, mother." Maura said jokingly, pouting when Jane untangled herself from her and rolled out of bed.

With a wicked grin, the brunette sneaked closer towards the bed, lifted her hand up and slapped it down on Maura's ass. "C'mon, body at the common wealth avenue mall. If you get up, I'll let you shop. I'll even hang with you."

"You would? How sweet. You can be my bag carrier." Maura sat up in bed, smiling sweetly at the brunette who was quickly putting on her usual black pants.

"Only if I drive." Jane grabbed the skirt, from the outfit the doctor had prepared before going to bed, and projected it in the air in Maura's direction.

"You drive like a maniac, not to mention you swear like one too." Maura found a pair of Jane's socks in one of the many cardboard boxes that littered her bedroom floor and threw them at the woman. The skirt delicately fell on her head. The doctor huffed, making the light material move before she lipped on the skirt that was so delicately handed at her. _There's going to be wrinkles on it. _Maura decided to keep this information to herself as the brunette would shrug it off and forget it in less than two seconds.

Jane caught the socks with ease. She quickly put them on, almost losing her balance as she did so. "You drive like a grandma." The detective gave the petite woman the matching top from her outfit and received her belt with her badge and handgun in return.

"I'm simply respecting the speed limits, unlike a certain detective." Maura put on the top and picked out a black blouse for her girlfriend. She always loved the brunette in an all black outfit, she looked dangerous.

Jane held her shirt between her teeth as it was handed to her. She quickly buckled her belt. "Driving _under _the speed limit is an offense too, you know." She pointed out in a muffled voice as she slid the pair of blue high heels towards Maura with her foot while slipping on the shirt and buttoning it up.

Maura put on the pair of heels before she grabbed both of their watches. "You can only get ticketed for going thirty miles under the speed limit on four lane high ways." She retorted as she stood beside Jane, handing her the wrist watch.

The duo stood side by side in front of the closet mirrors, Jane zipped up her boots while Maura was fixing her hair. Both women put on their wrist watches, staring at each others' reflection in the mirror. Jane smoothed down her shirt and glanced at Maura. "Whatever, I'm driving and nice choice." She placed one of her hand on the side of Maura's face, kissing the top of the smaller woman's head before walking out of the room.

* * *

><p>The common wealth park looked beautiful this time of the year, the leaves were just starting to change colors; preparing themselves to depart the lovely tree they had been attached to all summer long. The array of yellows and reds seemed to light up the trees like they were on fire. Although, the serene atmosphere was ruined with the dozen police officers that crowded the crime scene, pushing back news reporters and curious citizens. Criminalists also cluttered the area, taking pictures, collecting forensic evidence. Not to mention Frost's vomiting was clearly audible.<p>

"It's really bad, Janie." Frankie informed, standing in front of the yellow tape, cradling his hat under his arm.

"Yeah," Jane put on a pair of gloves, her gaze falling on Barry who was leaning against one of the trees. "I can see that." The brunette chuckled.

"Detective Frost should bring Demenhydrinate to especially gruesome crime scenes. Anti-vomiting medication, such as Gravol." The doctor added as both of the siblings stared at her with blank expressions.

"And don't call me Janie when I'm at work, alright? C'mon, let's see what we got." The detective said as she lightly tapped her brother's chest twice before passing underneath the police tape.

Frankie purposely ignored his sister, rocking back on forth on his heels, looking around as if he hadn't heard her.

"How do you expect to make detective if ya wont come and look at the body?"

"I...You-you got this and besides, I just ate."

Jane raised an amused eyebrow, seeing through her brother's lie. She knew the exact reason why he was reluctant to examine the body. With a devilish grin, the brunette frantically shouted. "What's that over there?"

Officer Rizzoli bit the hook and turned around quickly. His brown eyes slowly fell on the mutilated body. He immediately gagged, turned around and joined Frost, who both engaged in the first ever synchronized puking.

Jane looked over at Maura with a triumphant smirk. "New Olympic category?"

"Synchronized regurgitating, how charming." The petite blond laughed as she dipped down under the tape to join the brunette.

"We'll have to make this the 'BBK barf of the week'." Korsak chimed in, grinning like a fool as she glanced at the two men bonding over semi-digested breakfasts.

Jane let out a laugh. "Think they'll come to crime scenes holding hands?"

"Oh I hope it's not too disgusting today." The sergeant said in a melodramatic tone, making a face.

"I can already hear the wedding bells." The former partners laughed in unison, sharing a high five.

"Detectives, don't be so rude." Maura warned. "We have a body to examine." She pointed out, walking towards the Common Wealth monument where their victim was murdered.

There was a massive rock; on it was a bronze statue of a man in a casual sitting position. There were four considerably smaller rocks in close proximity to the larger one. The victim was another woman; her body had been decapitated at the waist. She had been diagonally placed between one of the smaller rocks, which was protruding where the woman's stomach would have been. The rock separated her torso from her legs. Her head had been inclined back, making her look like she was staring at the statue.

"Move in with the Doc yet?" Vince asked casually, as they both made their way towards the body.

"They brought my boxes over; Ma's already settled in my old apartment."

"I'm not gonna lie Jane, I saw this coming from a mile away."

"I'll inform all of BPD; Sherlock's working with us." Jane retorted sarcastically.

"I mean, you and Dr. Isles. I had a bet going with Frost and Frankie on who'd make the first move. My money was on you, Rizzoli. You never did tell us who-" Korsak was chuckling and grinning the entire time, thinking the brunette would have taken their little bet lightly. That is, until he say the death glare Jane was throwing his way. He gulped and changed the subject quickly. "So, did you start unpacking?"

"Didn't have time to touch 'em." Jane made a mental note to ask her brother and Frost about this 'bet'. She had every intention of collecting the money, though she had no idea who initiated it. Memories of that night were still fuzzy.

"Busy night, Rizzoli?"

"Shut up, Korsak." Jane chuckled and pushed his shoulder as she crouched down next to the decapitated woman. She cringed at the sight of Maura examining the clearly visible entrails. "What have we got?"

"Woman, approximately in her mid thirties. She was decapitated and purposely placed in this position. Cause of death could very well be exsanguination, but I won't be able to say so officially until I perform my autopsy. Modus operanti seems quite similar from our first victim."

"Thank you Dr. Obvious." Jane's comment had been dismissed by the doctor, who was busy examining the cut that severed the woman's body. "Find an ID on her?" The brunette asked Korsak.

The sergeant fished an evidence bag from his jacket pocket and handed it to Jane. "Get this, he had taken out her driver's licence and placed it on her forehead. Sick bastard is getting cocky." Korsak revealed with disgust.

"Who says cocky says sloppy. Hopefully he made a mistake." The detective skimmed the victim's identification card. "Molly Williams, 37, local. So our killer is targeting women in their thirties." She glanced at the rock, oddly spotless except for the same initials written in blood. Jane stood up, looking down at the body. "Decapitation, women victims, the initials...Is it just me or-"

"Black Dahlia copy cat." Vince finished, taking the words right out of Jane's mouth.

"So we have a deranged _fanatic_ who's trying to recreate unsolved murders from the fifties."

"Sounds about right to me."

Maura had been listening to the two detectives and was on the verge of interrupting them to blurt out facts about the Black Dahlia murders, when a single leaf fell on the ground beside the woman. _Leaves._ She snapped her head up to look at the monument. _Man sitting on a rock._ The doctor then glanced at the smaller rock. _Heaviness in the pit of her stomach. _The pieces she put together chilled her to the bone. "Jane..." The woman breathed as she stood up quickly, grasping one of Jane's arms. "Jane, this crime scene, it's...look, the man _sitting_ on a rock, a woman _looking up_ at him with a _heaviness_ in the pit of her stomach, _leaves_ falling." She enumerated quickly, almost out of breath.

The brunette was about to tell her to slow down, tease her by telling her how not to hyperventilate. The realization of what Maura was trying to tell her hit her like a punch straight to the gut. Words failed her as she looked at the crime scene once again. It all fit with what was written in the poem. _You've gotta be kidding me..._

"The poem, it was a riddle, Jane." The doctor revealed as she intensely gazed into the taller woman's eyes.

"He's telling us where his next victim is going to be." Jane replied in astonishment.

Maura broke the eye contact, turning her attention to an equally dumbfounded Vince. "Did you find an envelope, Sergeant?"

Korsak shook his head. "Nothing else but her driver's license was here."

Not letting this piece of information stop her, Maura walked around the monument, examining the smaller rocks.

"What are ya doin', Maur?" The brunette asked as she followed her girlfriend. Jane recognized the glint in those gorgeous hazel eyes, Maura was on to something.

"Serial killers not only like to challenge themselves, but they thrive on challenging others as well. He must have hidden the next clue somewhere around this crime scene. He expect us to find it, he's hoping we'll find it." Maura informed as she kneeled down, smoothing the back of her skirt so it wouldn't ride up as she did so. She noticed a pointy corner of something that resembled a paper wedged in between two rocks. The doctor removed it as carefully as a neurological surgeon would operate on a patient's brain. You guessed it, another envelope. Maura opened it, pulling out the single sheet of paper included in it. "Another riddle, just as I suspected."

Jane had been too focused staring at Maura's behind to comprehend that the doctor had found the next clue or even acknowledge that the petite woman was speaking. Drooling over your girlfriend in itself is more than perfectly fine, but when it's distracting, that's when you get in trouble. You wouldn't want your co-workers to accidentally slip on the puddle of drool at her feet, right? _Put your tongue back in your mouth, Rizzoli. Use it to speak. _"Huh?" _Or not._

Thankfully for Jane, Maura had stood up and turned around to face her girlfriend, repeating herself. Something she would have done even if the detective hadn't asked. "Another riddle. Figuring it out should be of the utmost importance right now."

"Well, read it." The detective urged as she moved closer to Maura, looking down at the paper in the smaller woman's hands.

_Orange pelt and sharp eyes,_

_With prowess and ruse, _

_the fox doesn't look back._

_Oaks and water slowly consume you,_

_He lures you further down the road._

_2946,_

_The fox never makes mistakes._

_Will you catch up?_

_Or will you let darkness take over?_

"That number is odd, out of place." The doctor remarked as she slid the piece of paper back into the envelope.

"Think it could mean something?"

"I don't know, Jane. I'll make a copy." Maura nodded, giving the envelope to a criminalist.

"Alright, send the original to get checked for finger prints. Let's see if he screwed up." The brunette informed, crossing her arms over her chest. Her brow creased in corner as she bit the corner of her lip. This sure was a weird one.

* * *

><p>Jane walked into the morgue, placing her hand on Maura's lower back as she approached the working doctor. "Hey."<p>

Maura smiled without looking at the brunette. "Hey." She replied, leaning into the comforting touch.

"Gross, what are ya doing?" Jane questioned as she took a step back when she noticed the doctor had her arm far up the victim's stomach. She cringed and looked away.

"Placing her heart back. There clearly was no need for me to make a Y incision," Maura replied casually, frowning as she struggled to push it back into the right area. "There we go." She chimed happily, removing her arm from the cavity and covering the body.

"I'm not sure she needs need it anymore."

"Doesn't mean it can't go back into its rightful place."

"I guess the dead have rights too," The brunette turned around when it was safe to look. "Anything on this one?"

The honey-blond shook her head as she got rid of her blood stained scrubs. "No hair, no semen, no finger prints."

"Clean. Figures." The detective sighed as her chocolate brown eyes roamed over the covered body.

"It's bothering you, isn't it? I can see that your frown lines are very active." Maura remarked, leaning her back against the autopsy table. "It takes forty-seven facial muscles to initiate a frown, but only seventeen of them to smile. Meaning, smiling more often could help reduce the appearance of wrinkle lines."

"I do _not_ have _wrinkles_, Maura." Jane tried to ignore the urge to look at herself in a mirror to make sure that statement was true. Instead, she kept staring at her feet with a solemn face. "I...I keep thinking that if we would have figured it out sooner, we could have saved that woman."

"Honey, you don't know that for a fact. It's possible that we could have, yes, but it's also a probability that he's using these poems as a ruse."

"I just wish we could find one in time, y'know?"

"We have half of Boston PD trying to figure out the riddle." The petite woman reassured moved forward and wrapped both of her arms around the scowling brunette's neck. "You're an amazing human being, you know that?" Maura asked as she got on her tippy toes to reach Jane's lips.

The detective smiled softly at Maura, wrapping her arms around the blond's waist. Jane licked her lips and leaned down, kissing the smaller woman slowly.

A sudden loud noise pulled them apart, both women jumped back as they watched detective Frost burst in the door, holding it open with one of his hands. "Jane, Korsak figured it out. We need to go." He rushed out.

"Sorry," Jane whispered before pulling away and quickly walking backwards towards the door. "I'll see you later, Maur." She followed Frost as they both ran to the elevators.

"Be careful." The doctor said in the now empty morgue, watching her girlfriend run down the corridor. Maura was always worried when Jane had to leave to potentially catch a perp. She knew the detective wore a flak jacket, but the protective vest didn't protect her most important artery: the coronary, which runs down into her leg and on both side of her neck very exposed neck. Not to mention, her brain had no protection either. _Oh God, what if something happens? _Maura thought as she began to hyperventilate. She quickly walked to her office and sat down, trying to slow down her breathing. The doctor's usual relaxing techniques did nothing but make the woman even lighter headed. In the midst of her mild panic attack, Maura spotted a copy of the second riddle on the corner of her desk. _If I focus on work, I won't worry so much about Jane._ She reasoned as she picked up the paper and began re-reading it.

After reading the presumed riddle a few dozen times, Maura made her way into the crime lab. "Criminalist Chang, do you have the results of the finger print analysis?"

"There were no finger prints detected on the paper, nor letter." The tech informed as she handed Maura the evidence bag.

_Darn._ "Thank you." Maura was hoping they would have found a print, or even just a partial one, anything to help the stumped detective. Even if the Sergeant found a new lead, there's no telling what they're going to find when they get there. _No serial killer will hand themselves over so easily, not without a fight anyway. _An uneasy feeling settled in the pit of Maura's stomach; this all seemed overly easy.

The doctor found herself at the autopsy table once more, laying the bag in one of the metal pots situated adjacent of the metallic table. She put on a fresh new pair of gloves before peeling away the drape away from the victim's face. Maura felt something graze her thigh. "Oh!" The petite woman gasped loudly as she jumped back away from the table hastily. In any other given situation, Maura would have expected Jane to be hidden underneath jus to give the doctor a good scare. The white sheet aimlessly fell back on its own, covering half of the woman's face. Hazel eyes scanned the pale grey arm that was now dangling down from underneath the sheet. _When did I get jumpy around corpses? Probably around the time Jane decided to jump into another dangerous situation._ She thought, answering her own question.

Maura let out a slow breath as she regained her composure, walking forward once more as she took hold of the lifeless arm. However, instead of placing it back, she held it up in front of her eyes, cocking her head sideways. The doctor remembered the time she had used a black light as to find a club stamp on a victim's hand. She had used the black light in many cases, but solely on corpses. An idea came to mind as she glanced at the evidence bag holding the envelope. The blond tucked the woman's arm back against the cold body and carefully removed the envelope from the plastic bag. Maura then passed the black light over the envelope on each side. _Nothing_. Curious, the medical examiner inspected its contents; unfolding the paper and laying it out on the victim's concealed body. Her eyebrows shot up as the light revealed what looked like equations on the back of the riddle.

"Arithmetic formulas, mhmm." Maura voiced her thoughts out loud as she marched into her office, attaching the black light to the lamp on her desk, pointing it downwards on the paper. She grabbed her tablet using one of its many mathematical features to solve the elaborate equation. After re-solving it twice, to make sure both of the answers were the same, Maura was utterly confidant in her answer: 24. _Twenty- four? What could be the connection with this number?_

The doctor looked over both of the case files of their two female victims, paying close attention to the numbers. _Their age? Impossible, they were both in their thirties. Address? Overly vague. Time of death? _It hit her like a slap in the face. _I need to call Jane. _

* * *

><p>"<em>Bad boys, bad boys. Watchu gonna do? Watchu gonna do when they come for you?" <em>Jane and Frost were wholeheartedly singing the chorus to the song made famous by the action movie Bad Boys. She proved that women could multi-task as the brunette drove them, quite dangerously, with the sirens on, to the location Vince had figured out. All the clues seemed to point to a remote cottage area near the coast. One of those cottages had the reference number 2946, as seen in the riddle.

Korsak held on to dear life, his eyes wide as saucers as Jane paid further attention to hitting the right note instead of driving in a straight line on the dirt road. All three of them were wearing a flak jacket with their badges hanging around their necks, but Vince knew the vest wouldn't save them if they got into a car crash and barrel rolled more times than an Olympic diver. "Would you keep your eyes on the road, Jane?" He pleaded as his knuckles turned white from the firm grip he has on the passenger seat and onto the handle, which will be forth know as the OH SHIT! Handle.

However, much to the sergeant's dismay, they continued singing, very loudly_. "When they come for youuuuuuuu." _ The duo stretched out the note which indicated the song was coming to an end, just like Korsak's life, or so he thought. Jane bobbed her head to the rest of the tune, one palm against the wheel as she smoothly drifted around a corner, sending rocks and the likes flying behind them. The dust cloud grew ten times larger and if you they ever cared that someone might be behind them; they wouldn't be able to tell.

Korsak saw the turn coming and decided to grip the OH SHIT! Handle with both of his hands. Even this didn't save him from cashing into the door, sending him off balance in his seat. One of his legs was almost touching the ceiling, which is an incredible feat considering the man's flexibility.

"_Reflections come and reflections go. I know someti-imes you wanna let go-oh! Hey! Hey! Hey!" _The partners both happily chimed, unaware of Vince's near death experience. Frost turned down the volume as the song ended and shared a knuckle bump with his partner. "Turns out white girl _can_ sing."

"Hell yeah, brother." The both laughed. Jane's driving had considerably improved since the song ended.

"You okay back there, old man?" The young detective asked as she turned his body to look at the traumatized passenger in the back seat.

"Yeah, sure, I'm just...fine." Vince chocked out, his face red and sweaty. He slid two of his fingers behind the knot of his tie to loosen it up.

Jane raised her eyebrow as she looked at her old partner through the rear view mirror with a grin. She opened her mouth, undoubtedly about to throw a witty insult at Korsak, but the man in question interrupted her.

"Here's the house." The sergeant confirmed, pointing his finger at the only house coming into view.

Jane unbuckled the car's belt as she steered the police cruiser in front of the house, letting the lights on. "Game time."

"Plan?" Frost asked, unbuckling his seat belt.

"Hit it fast." The brunette slammed the breaks and let the Ford come to a screeching halt in the dirt. The detectives quickly stepped out of the vehicle, without closing the doors, and carefully approached the house; weapons drawn. Both Jane and Korsak surveyed the windows to make sure no one would appear behind them and take the easy shot. Detective Frost walked up the few stairs onto the front porch, taking cover in the small space between the door and the window. Their sergeant followed suit, mimicking Barry's position, but on the opposite side.

Finally, Jane walked up the stairs and stood with both feet firmly planted in front of the door. She lifted her Glock with both of her hands, her brown orbs moving between the detectives. The nodded at her and she lifted her foot, kicking in the door with ease. The impact cracked the frame and the wooden door swung open. With a quick footwork, Jane put a foot inside, cautiously inspecting the corners before stepping in fully.

"Boston police!" Frost shouted as he and Korsak stormed in the house.

"I'll check the kitchen." The brunette announced as she made her way through the small archway leading to the dining room, her gun still trained in front of her. The cottage wasn't luxurious, in fact, it was pretty small. There were two bedrooms, one full bathroom, the kitchen and dining room were connected and the living room was fairly squished together. There was also a door leading down to a basement.

"I got the rooms." Frost examined each room one by one including the bathroom, making sure to look behind the curtain. There could be a hockey mask wearing freaking hiding in there, you never know.

"Leaving the basement for the old man? Gee, thanks guys." The sergeant vigilantly opened the door to the basement, feeling the wall for a light. He flicked it on as his fingers found the switch, but no light came on. "Why does it always have to be the basements?" Vince muttered to himself as she fished out his flashlight before venturing down in the dark basement.

"You could use a little exercise." Frost quipped with a chuckle.

Jane smirked to herself as she continued to scan the kitchen. When she was completely sure the area was deserted, the detective walked back into the living room. "Kitchen clear." She shouted so both of her partners would hear her. The small cottage was dead quiet; all you could hear were Frost's tentative steps and the sirens from Jane's cruiser outside.

"Bedrooms clear." Barry said as he emerged from the hallway, securing his handgun back into the holster on his belt.

"Need some help getting up the stairs, Korsak?" Jane quipped as she winked at Frost with a smirk, putting her weapon back into its holster.

"You two clowns better come down here." The silver haired man called out as he pointed his flashlight at the scene before him.

Jane and Barry rushed down the stairs, opening their flashlights as it became too dark to see the other steps. They both stood beside Korsak, flashing their lights in the same spot he was. There was red writing on the illuminated wall: Oink, oink, pigs. B.D. There was nothing else in the basement, except for old, half broken down furniture which, mostly, cluttered the area near the water heater.

"He led us to a dead end." Frost clenched his jaw and glanced at his upset partner.

"Asshole!" Jane hissed under her breath, looking down briefly as she shook her head. She spotted an old chair from the corner of her eye and before she could control her actions, the chair flew across the room and broke itself against one of the brick walls. No one else had bushed her buttons like Hoyt had, but this guy sure knew how to toy with them.

"Wait, there's something there." Korsak pointed out as she revealed another enveloped that had been duck tapped to the wall just underneath the writing.

"A dead end and another _goddamn_ riddle." The brunette sighed heavily, rubbing her eye lids with her thumb and middle finger. An impromptu ringtone made them all jump. It was Jane's phone. She didn't have to look at the caller ID to know who was on the other end. "What is it?" She asked grumpily.

Maura started talking quickly, ignoring her girlfriend's testy attitude. "Jane, I found an equation on the back of the second riddle. I solved it with a few common arithmetic formulas. The answer is a two digit number: twenty-four."

"So, you're saying he's a mathematician?" Jane frowned, not quite understanding why Maura would notify her about this irrelevant information.

"Twenty-four, as in twenty-four hours in a day. Both victims were killed precisely twenty-four hours apart." The doctor deepened.

"He kills someone every day."

"Yes, in a very strict timeline."

"You sure about that Maura? We're at the house and the only thing that was here was a smart ass comment and another riddle."

"My guess would be as good as yours."

"You know your guess would be better. What exactly would your guess be, if you had too...hypothetically?"

"Well, hypothetically speaking, if he led you to a dead end, he's perhaps trying to buy some time."

"If you're right, we have," Jane paused for a second to glance at the time on her watch. "Seven hours left."

"Six hours, fifty-seven minutes and twelve seconds." Maura cheerfully corrected.

"I'll tell Korsak to get the 'Bat-signal' up, we've got another riddle to solve. Yay." Jane said sarcastically, earning a laugh from Frost.

"Oh, I understand what popular comic book series you're referring too. Batman. Did you know that they were first published in the 'Detective Comics' in 1939?"

"Are you into comic books, Doctor? That's kinda hot." Jane added the last part in a whisper, grinning to herself.

"Well I do love the history behind them." Maura admitted sheepishly.

"Get a room." Vince made a face as she overhead the brunette's comment, her subtlety wasn't all that polished around her co-workers.

"We _are_ in a room." Jane replied, motioning to the basement they were currently in with her free hand. "We're leaving here; see you back at the morgue." She said to the petite woman before closing her phone.

"See you soon, Jane."

"Hey, why am I Commissioner Gordon?" The sergeant asked.

"Well..." Frost looked at Korsak up and down with both of his eyebrows raised. "You fit the..._profile_."

"Oh, shut up, peach fuzz." Korsak retorted.

Jane chuckled at their banter. "C'mon children, let's bag it up and go." The lanky woman clapped her hand on her partner's bag before she jogged up the stairs.

* * *

><p>Maura smiled to herself as she closed her phone and dumped it in her lab coat pocket. Jane always had a way of making the doctor feel like she was reliving the later teenage years she didn't have. Their IQ points considerably dropped when they were together, but it wasn't all a bad thing. Last week Jane talked her into putting soap in the pump of one of the cities' very big fountain. Needless to say, it turned into a massive foam bath for the next fifteen hours.<p>

The blond chuckled at the memory as she walked to one of the trash cans to discard her latex gloves. She felt a strong arm wrap around her waist. Smiling, the doctor placed her now uncovered hand on top of a very rugged hand that didn't feel like Jane's at all. She tried to look behind her, but the other hand clasped a humid cloth on top of her mouth and forced her head forward. _Chloroform.__ Maura noted as the strong smell invaded her nasal cavity. She could barely feel herself being dragged towards the morgue's back door. __Doyle? _Was the last thought that came to mind before everything went black. They sure need to do something about the security on that exit.


	6. How to save a life

**A/N: This was shorter than I expected, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless. :) Keep up the lovely reviews. **

* * *

><p>"Frost, Korsak, I have something to say." Jane started, glancing between both of them as she spoke their names. The lovely trio were driving back to the station and were currently sitting on a red light. Normally, the brunette would have turned on the sirens in order to avoid the excruciatingly long city light, but there was something she needed to desperately verbalize.<p>

"I may, have lied to you, about something." She purposely used dramatic pauses to heighten the curiousness of the men around her, whom both looked at each other with similar frowns. "My name, is not, Rizzoli." Jane took a deep breath and stared at Frost with the best poker face she could muster. "It's Wayne. . !" The detective revealed melodramatically in a deep and raspy voice. She lifted her arm up, hiding her face behind it, mimicking the effects of a cape. She let her big brown eyes survey the two chuckling detectives, switching between lifting her right eyebrow and her left one.

Frost placed a hand over his chest, exaggerating his surprised expression greatly, playing along with the silly brunette. "Jane Wayne, I had _no_ idea."

"Quick, we must alert the Lieutenant." Vince launched himself forward to grab Jane's radio from the dashboard of the cruiser and brought it up to his mouth. "Cavanaugh, this is urgent. We have found the secret identity of..." The sergeant paused as he gazed at Frost.

"The Batman!" The two men exclaimed over the radio.

Jane's cruiser was filled with childish giggles and chuckles. The light turned green and the brunette slammed her foot on the gas. They still hadn't contained their rowing laughter as they slowly closed the distance between them and the Police Department.

Their lieutenant's voice boomed through the radio. "This isn't the time to be messing around. We have a serious situation back at the station. Get your asses here. Now!" The car went from noisy to silent in less than a millisecond.

"What crawled up his ass and died?" Jane asked irritably.

"It must be pretty bad Jane, step on it." The sergeant indicated as he sat himself back behind Frost, putting his seatbelt on.

"With pleasure." Jane smirked at she looked at Korsak dead in the eye from the rear view mirror.

"Oh shit..." Vince muttered, holding on to the OH SHIT! handle once more, which had been rightfully baptised.

The brunette turned on her sirens and manoeuvre the old Ford past the busy single and double lane streets, making sure to keep the four cylinder engine over fifty miles. Sure, it may seem reckless to passerbys', but Jane had a superior handle on steering vehicles at high speeds. Maura's birthday gift sure came in handy, not to mention driving a Lamborghini and ridiculous high speeds on a closed course was a heavenly experience on its own.

The detectives arrived at the Police Department a few minutes later. Jane would have quickly passed by the morgue to fill in the petite blond and steal a quick kiss if it wasn't for Cavanaugh's 'emergency'. Judging by how the officers and the other individuals who worked at the station acted, it didn't seem like there was any urgent situation. Some of them looked at Jane with solemn expressions, which she thought was abnormal. She frowned and raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow as she glanced at her partners. "Jeez, who died?" It was evident that their Lieutenant hadn't divulged this information to the whole precinct, but some of the higher placed officers had probably been informed.

"Don't joke about that, Jane." Said Korsak with an odd feeling settling in the pit of his stomach. _I have a bad feeling about this._

Jane raised her hand to knock on the Lieutenant's door as they reached his office. They all poured into the room one by one like kids waiting for the candy store to open. The only woman in the trio stood with both of her arms crossed over her chest, eager to hear what the emergency was.

"Found anything at the cottage?" Cavanaugh asked with a firm tone, as always.

"We found another Riddle." Vince informed as he placed the evidence bag on the Lieutenants desk.

"What's this 'big emergency', Lu?" The tall woman asked, using air quotes to emphasise her sarcasm as she grew increasingly impatient. She would soon regret the words that came out of her mouth.

"It's about Dr. Isles..." He started, trying to gage Jane's reaction before explaining further.

"Don't you start playing with me," The woman replied darkly, moving in front of the Lieutenant's desk and placing her palms down on the desk, leaning forward slightly. "Spill it."

"She disappeared, about an hour ago. No one saw anything. We think it might be Doyle." Cavanaugh explained in short sentences; the compassion in his voice was noticeable.

Jane felt her blood boil. "Why in the _hell_ isn't the morgue secured!" The woman practically yelled the last word, flailing her arms around frantically. She knew if it truly was Doyle that she didn't have to worry about Maura's safety, but there was still a serial killer, who didn't seem too fond of woman, running loose like a bear in the wild; a predator. "I thought those lab rats that worked with her had four eyes. How can someone get abducted _right_ in front of them!" The brunette practically barked at her Lieutenant.

"Look, we have a serial killer on the loose. Work the case, Rizzoli." Cavanaugh ordered coldly, but he had a good reason to act this way.

"I see where your priorities are at." Jane's face contorted to illustrate disgust at her superior's answer. Without another word, the woman turned on her heels and stormed out of the office, being anything but gentle with the door.

Frost glanced at Korsak for a second, seemingly reading his mind as he followed the brunette out.

"What the hell was that, Sean?" The sergeant asked, dumbfounded and somewhat infuriated with Cavanaugh's inhuman reaction. "When did they replace you with The Terminator?"

"All the victims were women, Dr. Isles taken hostage while he's still out there..."The Lieutenant trailed off, letting the sergeant fill in the blanks for himself.

"It could be Doyle, he's done it before."

"But, why now?"

"To warn his daughter."

"I'm not hoping for the worst, Vince, but we can't rule it out."

Korsak sighed, looking down at the floor as if it had the answers to everything. Without saying another word, the sergeant left the office to join his partners. If the doctor's sudden disappearance was linked with the murders, they had to find a lead and now. _I have a bad feeling about this..._He repeated in his head.

* * *

><p>Zero missed called, zero text messages. <em>Where the hell are you? <em>It wasn't like the doctor to give no sign of life even if she was with the man that helped create her. Maura usually came to Jane, ranting on about how lunatic he is, thinking he could actually have a place in her heart. The detective sighed as she set her phone back down on her paper-clad desk. Elbows on the wooden surface, both of her hands holding up her head, Jane was staring at the new riddle in front of her. Nothing seemed to make sense; even the words she knew had become incomprehensible.

_Down the rabbit hole,_

_Protected from nuclear catastrophe,_

_Vulnerable to darkness._

_Tic toc,_

_Time slips away from your fingers,_

_Will she?_

However, her torment would be over, for at least a few minutes, as her computer dinged. _E-mail. _ Jane thought as she opened up the file. It was from one of the lab technicians.

_ and Det. Frost, _

_We have found something that resembles a world wide web address using the same technique had previously made use of to find the mathematical formulas. The image attached is of this address as seen under a black light._

Jane's heart clenched at the mention of Maura's name, but she kept herself in check, using all of her willpower to avoid looking at her phone for the hundredth time. Sighing, she looked up at her partner. "Got that, Frost?"

"Running it as we speak." The young detective replied as his fingers were flying on the keyboard at a pace which neither Jane nor Korsak could match on a good day. "It's a live broadcast." Frost revealed with a frown.

"Of what?" Jane's curiosity was peaked and she quickly turned around in her chair and pushed herself back, rolling to a stop next to her partner. Although the movement was comical, her face remained serious.

Barry chuckled slightly as he raised an amused eyebrow. "A countdown of some sort." Everything was black, except big red digital letters showing: **04:46:18** and counting down.

"A countdown?" The detective frowned for half a second, before she remembered what Maura had discovered earlier. "Frost, a countdown!" She repeated, placing her hand on his forearm and waving the other around at the computer screen. "Maura said he killed his next victims after exactly twenty-four hours."

Frost suddenly felt sick to his stomach. "He's broadcasting the murders."

_Sick fuck. _"Can you track down the IP address?"

"Sure." The only thing louder than Jane's heart beat was detective Frost's fingers hitting the keyboard. "It's protected, I'll need to breach a few firewalls." He explained, his fingers still hitting the keys, making his partner wonder how it didn't catch on fire.

"I'll get you a fire extinguisher." The brunette joked, lightly patting his shoulder. She stopped, stilling all her movements as she noticed a shadow shift in the camera, covering half the numbers on the countdown display. It looked like a torso and a left arm. "Think that's our guy?" Jane questioned, staring at the screen intently.

"We're about to find out." Said torso moved closer, there was a faint outline of something that looked like a crest imprinted on the front of his shirt. As the image focused, the question mark design was clearly identifiable. "You're a good Riddler and we'll get you, but..."

"Jim Carey was best Riddler, of all time. Of all time!" The brunette finished, nudging her partner with her elbow as they both chuckled at their joke.

A distorted voice broke the pair's laughter._ "I see you figured it out, detectives."_

How he knew they were tuned in was lost on the brunette. "How does he...?"

Frost easily filled in the blanks. "Host tools. Gives him a list of all the IP addresses that are on this web page."

Jane nodded once before turning her attention to the live broadcast.

"_I'm glad, now that you're all here,"_ A faint struggle was overheard, a stifled scream and some cursing before the camera focused again. Their suspect was holding a woman by the back of her head. Identifying the victim would be near impossible as a dark shadow hid her facial features. _"It's a party." _The man chuckled darkly, holding the woman's face closer to the camera. Honey-blond hair cascaded over a straight but rounded face, perfectly trimmed eyebrows and deep glistening hazel eyes. A tear stained handkerchief had been tied around a delicate mouth.

"Maura...No." Jane breathed disbelievingly. "No!" She repeated, shouting this time, as she stood up from her chair and slammed her fist down on her partner's desk. Everyone around them jumped and stared at the fuming brunette.

"What's going on here?" Korsak asked as she entered the bullpen with a worried expression. It wasn't a common thing for Jane Rizzoli to lose her cool and start throwing punches at anything, Vince knew that. Whatever caused the uproar must be big. His eyes trailed over Frost's shocked and equally angry face to Jane's dark expression and finally, the gaze landed on the computer monitor, where Maura's face was being held right in front of the camera. _Oh no, not the Doctor. Dammit. _The sergeant looked at Jane; her whole body seemed to be shaking with rage, both fists clenched at her sides. "Jane, calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down!" The detective yelled, unable to pull her eyes away from the monitor. _Maura...why, why did it have to be her? _Inside, her heart was breaking, but outside was a completely different story. "Shut it down." Jane said to Frost in a wavering tone, teeth gritting together. "Frost, shut it down." She repeated, spitting out every word like venom out of her mouth.

"Trying."

Jane's anger boiled to a point where she couldn't stand still. She kicked the back of her chair, causing it to slam in the file cabinet behind her desk. The brunette ran a shaky hand through her dark locks, pacing back and forth. She then moved to her desk, impatiently tossing her office chair aside and placing both of her hands, palm flat, against the filing cabinet and lowered her head. "Frost..." She started warningly. "Shut it down." Jane tried to slow down her heart beat, taking long and deliberate breaths.

"There's too many firewalls Jane, I'll need more time." The young detective tried to explain.

"FUCK." Jane yelled one more time, slamming her fist in the cabinet, leaving four pointy indentations in the metal. The pain hadn't registered as much as the loud bang that emitted from the punch. The tall woman cursed herself for not staying with Maura, for not making sure someone was keeping an eye on her when she left, for not saying I love you the last time they had spoken to each other. All these tugged at her patience, but Jane knew she couldn't let it get to her. In order t save Maura, she had to be on her best game. Huddling up in a corner in a fetal position and crying wouldn't solve anything. This is what she had been trained for, the test of ultimate mental and physical discipline. She can't fail herself and she can't fail Maura. _Pull yourself together Rizzoli._

"_Tic toc, detectives." _Was the last thing heard over the broadcast before the predator pulled the prey away. The red flashing numbers taunted Frost's failed attempts. **4:40:36**.

The sergeant approached his former partner, placing a comforting hand against the middle of her back. "Jane, if you-" Korsak was sharply cut off.

Jane shrugged him off and pulled away in a swift motion. "It's fine, I _need_ to do this." She explained as she grabbed her battered chair, rolling it back into its rightful place behind her desk.

Korsak nodded as she slipped both of his hands into his pockets. He understood her completely. The day Jane had been taking hostage by Hoyt was by far one of the scariest days of his life. Vince hadn't stopped looking for her, wouldn't have stopped until he found the brunette. She would do the same with Maura, though things were different. They had a time limit. Their experience and perseverance was the only thing that could save her life.

Jane placed a hand on her chin, tapping her cheek with her index as she inspected all the pictures from the crimes scenes. She picked up all the ones that had the bloody B.D initials on them and placed them side by side. "Frost can you run a search on men with B.D as their initials."

"There's over ten thousand in Boston alone."

"Narrow it down to men with criminal records, murder or aggravated sexual assault against women."

"A little over a hundred."

"Well, that gives us somewhere to start." Jane said rubbing her face with both of her hands.

"Jane!" Officer Rizzoli shouted as she ran through the bullpen, stopping beside his sister. "I heard...I'm so sorry." He said breathlessly. "What can I do?"

"Help us." Jane replied with pleading eyes. "And Frankie, _don't _tell Ma."

"The whole station knows, Jane. It's only a matter of time before-"

As on cue, Ms. Rizzoli came running in. "Oh Janie, I can't believe he took my daughter in law!" She said, placing a hand over her heart, tears threatening to come out.

"Don't call me that at work, ma."Jane sighed as she made a face, rolling her eyes back into her skull. _Great, now she won't leave us alone. _

Frankie looked at his older sister with an apoplectic smile as if it was his fault their mother suddenly appeared.

* * *

><p>The detective glanced at the time on her computer monitor. <em>There's barely an hour left. <em>At this point, Jane had no reason to believe they were going to be able to get Maura back. She knew her pessimistic attitude was only bringing her down in a sort of self torture. She stared at the poem in her hands; the paper was wrinkled and scrunched up where she was holding it. She let her head fall down as tears stung at her eyes. _You failed her, Rizzoli. You let a sick fuck outsmart you and you failed the woman you love, the one you were suppose to marry and have a happy ever after future with. _Jane wiped at her tears angrily before anyone could notice her sombre demeanour.

The brunette slowly lifted her head, glancing at her partner, her former partner, her brother and even her mother, who all sacrificed whatever they had planned today to surrender body and mind to help find the doctor. _You're failing them too._ Jane shook the negative thoughts out of her head, remembering what Korsak had told her the day Hoyt had escaped from prison. _No one can break Jane Rizzoli unless you let them. Damn right. He hasn't won yet, we still have time. I still have time. _

As her headstrong nature came back more powerful and determined than ever, Jane focused her attention on the poem, reading each line carefully. _Down the rabbit hole. Alice in wonderland, she was taken underground. That's it! He's keeping her somewhere underground. Sewers? Protected from nuclear catastrophe. What protects someone from nuclear disaster? Shelters...bomb shelters! Underground bomb shelter. God, why did I just realize this? _

The tall woman momentarily hated herself for not seeing this connection at first glance. She let go of the paper and searched bomb shelters in the Boston area. _Of course, the Cold War. The government built those fallout shelters to protect the citizens in case a nuclear war erupted. _Jane then brought up the list of suspects with the B.D initials and created a search with known bomb shelter locations to see if any of them lived near one or had easy access to one. One individual name popped up: Berton Davey. Male, 45 years of age, recently released for a 13 year aggravated sexual assault sentence. _Got you, fucker. _

Jane got up as she made one of the hardest decisions in her life. She knew she had to do this alone. It was her fight, not theirs. She couldn't risk their lives, her brother's life. Besides, her mother would worry if she knew. "I'm getting another coffee, any of you need refills?" She asked, making sure her handgun was secured at her waist.

"I'll take one." Korsak voiced as he rubbed his eyes with one of his hands, handing his empty and cold cup to the brunette.

"I'll be right back." Jane lied. She walked out of the bullpen, throwing both of the cups away in a close by garbage. _I'm coming for you Maura._ She thought, marching down the lobby without looking back.

Jane turned on the radio, thinking it would calm her nerves, or at least enough to make her keep a reasonable speed limit. The song that filled the car did the exact opposite.

_Desperate, I will crawl  
>Waiting for so long<br>No love, there is no love.  
>Die for anyone<br>What have I become?_

_Something's getting in the way._  
><em>Something's just about to break.<em>  
><em>I will try to find my place in the diary of Jane.<em>  
><em>As I burn another page,<em>  
><em>As I look the other way.<em>  
><em>I still try to find my place in the diary of Jane.<em>

The detective's knuckle turned white as her grip on the steering wheel tightened considerably. She furiously sped down the road, occasionally glancing at the GPS to make sure she was on the right track. Something deep inside of her wished it was the killer's neck her hand was wrapped around. Jane rarely had these sorts of dark thoughts. They only seem to appear when anyone who was close to her heart was threatened. Safe to say, right now she was thinking things that any sane human being couldn't even conjure in their minds.

Jane slowly came to a stop as she approached the location, thinking it would be wise to park a little further in order to have the advantage of surprise on him. She rolled up the sleeves of her black button up shirt, checked the ballistic vest one more time to make sure it was securely fastened before she walked out of the Ford. She placed one hand on her gun, the other holding a flashlight to illuminate her path.

The detective carefully made her way to the entrance. She went down a few steps, making sure to survey the tiny area before flashing the light on the door. It was a simple steel gate with a lock and a sign that said 'Keep Out'. Jane pointed the flashlight at the lock, aiming her Glock at it and turning her head away before firing a single shot. The lock broke easily. _So much for subtlety. _

After crossing the gate, Jane's light flashed on yet another door; a submarine style door which blocked the entrance to the bomb shelter. She tried the handle, figuring it would be locked. Much to her surprise, the door screeched as the handle turned. _And this was supposed to protect us from nuclear blasts?_

The brunette entered the fallout shelter, her boots making a distinctive sound as they hit the metallic textured floor. The tunnel that led to another area was rounded with old, rusted pipes following the path on the ground. As Jane exited the tunnel, she felt something grip her right ankle and hoisting her upside down. "Holy shit!" Her handgun fell on the ground below her, while the flashlight rolled against a wall, illuminating another closed door. _I knew this was way too easy. Fucker's just playing with me._

"Nice of you to come alone, detective." A voice spoke. "Here to collect your district's medical examiner?" The voice chuckled as it seemed to get close to the woman.

Jane turned around on either side frantically as she tried to see where the killer was. It was too dark to see anything, not to mention she was hanging upside down. "Show yourself, you piece of shit!"

"Detective Rizzoli. Hero cop. If you weren't a weak little girl maybe I would have some admiration for you."

"I'll show you weak, asshole. Cut me down and I'll show you." Jane practically growled as she tried to take a few swings at the air, hoping that maybe she'd clock him in the face out of luck.

Davey cocked his head to the side as she watched the woman struggle with a dark amusement. "Stranded, hanging by a thread, desperate like a worthless _pig _about to get gutted. Does it ring a bell, detective?"

"Emily Johnson, you sick bastard. She did nothing to you. How can you play executioner when those women were DEFENSELESS?" She yelled, trying to swing her body back and forth to loosen the cord's hold.

"Don't get so anxious, the show's about to start." The man pressed on a button and the metallic door, which Jane's flashlight was dimly lighting, opened to reveal the red numbers as shown in the broadcast: **00:00:30.** There was a tiny window in the back of the room, letting the moon shine in. The soft glow showed off a petite feminine body standing up, but details like facial features and clothes were impossible to make out.

"You let her go. Do whatever you want with me, but don't hurt her." The brunette pleaded as her eyes landed on Maura's form.

"I wasn't aware that Detectives and Medical Examiners were so close." The killer implied, a slight surprise to his tone as he made his way into the room.

"C'mere and I'll show you _close_, fucker." Jane watched as the man retreated into the dark room. "LET HER GO." She shouted with a fiery rage.

The deranged killer took hold of a Magnum, opening the barrel as he slowly slid each bullet in. Spinning the barrel a few times, he gave the handgun a quick flick of his wrist, making the first .44 calibre bullet align with the hammer. He extended his arm, pressing the muzzle against the petite woman's head. Davey cocked the hammer back and slid his finger over the trigger. The timer showed **0:00:01**.

Jane didn't hear the loud bang emitting from the large .44 calibre gun, but she heard the splatter of blood coat the walls and floor. The body fell down, motionless, lifeless, with a thud. The brunette thought she heard something break, but what she heard was her heart shatter into a million pieces. "MAURA!" Her scream was animalistic, almost primal as she shot up to grab the cord with both of her hands. She let out another yell, tugging at the rope like an infuriated tiger. Her vocal cords burned, yet she hardly felt anything.

The rope finally gave under the unrelenting tugging. Jane crashed down on the cement floor, moving her hands to protect her head just in time to save it from cracking open like an egg. Dizzy and disoriented, the detective tried to crawl forward. "Maura..." She said in a tiny and weak voice.

"So that's her name." The killer said as he slowly stalked towards the brunette, pointing the Magnum at her head.

Jane looked up, but she could only see a dark figure walking towards her through her blurred vision. She closed her eyes and let the darkness consume her. Only to regain her senses as quickly as everything went black. The tall brunette felt something tugging at her vest, trying to pull her up.

Davey pulled the lanky detective into a standing position, slamming her back against a cold wall as she felt her start to slump forward. "Mau-" His breath caught in his throat before he could utter the doctor's name.

Jane opened her eyes, staring into the man's face with scorching fire swirling in her brown orbs. "You do _not_ get to speak her name." Her hands were at his throat, squeezing the life out of him as she slowly whispered each word into his ear. Truth be told, she enjoyed feeling him struggle, feeling his pulse slow down under her grip. Maybe something had snapped inside of her, revealed the darker side of Jane, but she didn't care about the consequences. The harsh reality was that the love of her life had been executed in front of her eyes and there was nothing she could do now but make the one responsible suffer.

The man broke her grip and they both erupted in a furious fist fight. Jane didn't bother to block any blows; she simply tolerated the pain and made sure to give it back tenfold. The brunette grabbed the collar of his shirt, slamming her fist right into his jaw which such force that the shirt ripped under her hand. Keeping the scarred hand in a fist, she threw another devastating blow with the back of her knuckles. Blood sprayed from his mouth as a lonely tooth clattered on the floor.

Davey lost his balance and fell on his back. Without missing a beat, Jane straddled him and threw punch after punch, cracking every bone in his face, mixing their blood together in a delirious rage. She stopped after a while as sobs took over. Her punches became weaker and weaker before they hardly did anymore damage.

Jane felt herself being pulled up, again, but this time, the hands that grabbed her were familiar. _Korsak. _That's when she heard it, the sirens, the dozen of men talking as they ran in the room.

"He's dead Jane, he's dead." Vince soothed, cradling the sobbing detective against him. He glanced up at Frost who looked as shocked as everyone else and nodded his head towards the body on the floor. The sergeant would have confirmed it himself, but he was busy with a heart broken brunette.

Barry gulped as he stretched his legs over the killer's dead body. He looked down at him briefly. His face was barely recognizable. _Damn, Jane sure did a number on him. _Frost resisted the urge to kick him repeatedly as he made his way over to the petite body slumped on the ground. He took out his flashlight, rubbing one hand over his mouth nervously as he braced himself for what he was about to see. His light shone on dark red hair. It was as curly as the doctor's hair, but it wasn't the honey-blond color they've grown to know. _Wig maybe?_ The young detective crouched downexamining the woman's face. _This isn't ..._He thought standing up. Sure, the woman had the exact same body type as Maura, but it wasn't her. "Jane, Jane, it ain't Maura."

"What?" Both Korsak and Jane croaked out as they stared at the surprised detective.

"I'm telling you, it's not her." Frost repeated shinning his light on the woman's body.

Jane slowly got up to her feet, refusing any help from the two men. She wiped at her tears with the back of her hand as she tentatively walked closer towards the lifeless body. She cocked her head, surveying the woman's pale face. At first, she thought her eyes were playing tricks on her, showing her what she wanted to see. Then, the brunette figured she was hallucinating all of this and she would wake up in a mental hospital to find out that she had gone crazy when the doctor had passed away. However, after a closer examination she was certain that she was sane, somewhat, and that this woman sure as hell wasn't Maura.

"Jane," Frost started, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Shh." The tall woman shushed him as she stood up and placed a hand over her partner's mouth. Jane heard something, a very faint whimper. She walked to the back wall, placing both of her hands against it as she slowly moved sideways. The noise was louder this time. There was no doubt in her mind it was a muffled whimper. The brunette then started knocking on the wall until one specific spot sounded hollow. She kicked the spot with her boot, feeling the flimsy material crack under the slight pressure. _Dry wall would never be used to build a bomb shelter. _Jane thought as she kicked the wall again. The whimpering got louder and she recognized the voice. "Maura! Hang on, baby, I'll get you out." If this wasn't pure happiness, she didn't know what was.

"Let the officers break it down with the battering ram." Vince said as he came up behind the tall brunette.

Jane, however, ignored her sergeant's comment as she continued to slam her boot into the wall. After a few hits, it passed right through like a knife in soft butter. She took another step back, bursting out in a run as she slammed her shoulder into the weak dry wall. The detective emerged in a tiny confined area. She dusted off the gypsum particles from her shoulders and hair before her eyes locked with reddened hazel ones. The brunette cut the tie wraps on Maura's hands and feet with a small pocket knife. She smoothed her hands on either side of the doctor's face, holding back her tears as she removed the handkerchief from Maura's mouth.

The doctor wrapped her arms around Jane's waist, hiding her face in the crook of the taller woman's neck. "Jane, I-I was so scared. I heard a gunshot and I-I thought...then I heard a yell and-" Maura spoke in shaky breaths.

"I know, I know. It's okay, Maur. I'm here now." Jane felt warm tears run down her neck as she wrapped her girlfriend in a tight hug. "I'm here." She repeated, pressing her lips in Maura's hair. The detective had almost forgotten the smell of sweet mixed fruits that coated each and every one honey-blond hair strand. Jane held onto the doctor tighter, afraid if she let go that she would just melt away and disappear.

Frost and Korsak shooed away the criminalists and officers who crowded the room. "Give them some space will ya?" _It's over, it's finally over. _He though, looking back at the heartwarming reunion with a small smile.

Jane kissed Maura's head continuously, repeating the three words 'I love you' over and over before silent tears burned her throat, making her choke back her words. Even if she says it million times today, it still wouldn't be enough.

* * *

><p>"Are you out of your mind, Rizzoli?" Cavanaugh shouted as she sat up from his chair, furiously staring back at the detective in front of him.<p>

Jane had walked into her Lieutenant's office, the next day, throwing both her gun and her badge on his desk. She stared back at him, crossing both of her arms over her chest defiantly. She winced, as her wounded knuckles rubbed against the material of her shirt. "I'm not doing this anymore. I can't risk Maura's life." She explained.

Sean grabbed the two items from his desk, holding them up. "This is what helped you save her, Rizzoli. Without this, you can't possibly expect to protect her." He reasoned, understanding where Jane's fear was coming from, but fuck him, he wasn't going to lose his best detective.

"I'm sick and tired of being targeted by psycho lunatics who wants to kills us."

"It's part of the job. Part of who _you_ are." Cavanaugh set down Jane's Glock and badge on his desk as he walked around it. "Even if you quit, there will still be deranged psychopaths out there."

"This is supposed to be uplifting how exactly?" Jane asked in a snappy tone.

"Shut your yap and listen to me." The lieutenant warned, standing up and pointing at the detective. "You can't protect her from life, Rizzoli. You can't lock her up in a room and throw away the key thinking she'll be safe." Sean sighed as she saw the brunette bite back her words. Placing a hand on her shoulder, Cavanaugh spoke in a rare soft and concerned voice. "Look, take a vacation. You deserve it, you both do. Take a few weeks to get away. Relax."

_He's right, I haven't taken a vacation in...ever, since I started working homicide. _Jane simply nodded in agreement and turned to leave.

"Rizzoli."

The tall brunette turned around and was handed her handgun and badge. Jane smiled for the first time in two days. "Thank you." She said before stepping out of his office, placing both items where they belong: on her hips.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Did I give you a scare? ;) **

****Holy crap talk about predicting the future right? Next we**ek's promo. Wow. Anyways, next chapter coming soon. Didn't have a lot of time to write these past two weeks, but I haven't forgotten y'all.  
><strong>


	7. Lost in Paradise

**A/N: I know, I know. Case of the lazies+booze+writer's block equals some really shitty writing. I couldn't even come up with a decent joke. Enough with the excuses. Meet the Isles, yay. Or Mr. Isles, as we don't know his first name. *looks pointedly at Jtam.* Anyways, have a great week guys. I'll start the other chapter as soon as my brain lets me. Now, as a warning, it might be a little darker, than usual. I promise a whole lot of bubbly in the next one...after that one. Alright, I'm sure you're not here to hear me rant about...nothing. Ignore any grammar/spelling mistakes, I have yet to proof read. Hope you all enjoy this chapter. :)  
><strong>

* * *

><p>The two women had talked it over and decided that they would be taking their vacation in London. Both Maura's mother and father will be there for a charity event diner. Not only is their whole trip paid for, Jane would have the honor of meeting the man who raised her girlfriend for the first time. Sometimes the powers that be have great timing. Sometimes.<p>

"Jane, will you stop it."

"Nope." Jane simply replied as she threw another naked sunflower seed in her mouth. She had been furiously ripping the two shells apart and devouring them like they had done every wrong to her. Although, it wasn't the poor little sunflower seeds who had infuriated the brunette.

"Jane, he was only being nice." Maura desperately tried to reason as she secured the belt around her waist.

"Yeah, I didn't know the definition of nice changed to 'ogling my girlfriend's goodies'." Jane grumbled as she continued to glare at the man in question. If she had laser vision, there would be a big hole in the back of his head. You see, the reason that the detective had developed a hatred for that particular individual is because this man thought he would lend a helping hand to a woman who was seemingly struggling to stuff her carry-on bag in the upper luggage compartment. Little did he know that big bag wolf Jane was near and understood his intentions very clearly. She quickly shooed him away and finished pushing the bag in, not forgetting her famous death glare. Of course, our favorite detective didn't leave it there; she made a show of kissing her girlfriend and gallantly giving up the window seat for her. Just to make sure he wasn't going to come back for seconds, naturally.

Maura rolled her eyes as she grabbed one of Jane's hand, tugging it towards herself until it was resting in the doctor's lap. She delicately ran her fingers over the white gauze covering Jane's knuckles. "You shouldn't eat too much of those, a high fiber content will give you large quantities of intestinal gas, not to mention intestinal blockage," The petite woman paused before she added: "I wouldn't open a lighter near you." Maura's hand covered her mouth as she tried to suppress her giggles.

Jane's mouth fell wide open at her girlfriend's comment. "Out of _all_ the jokes, you _had_ to make a _fart_ joke?" The doctor simply shrugged and continued giggling. Grinning, the brunette shook her head and leaned down, kissing Maura's temple. However, instead of pulling back right away she lingered and nuzzled the woman's hair. Jane took her time to take in Maura's scent. _Sweet fruits. _A fragrance she thought she would have never got the luxury of smelling ever again. The detective pulled back, smiling down at the doctor before she turned away from her. _Fucker played me 'till the very end, made me think he had killed her._ Her fingers absent-mindedly ran along the side of a soft hand that was caressing her own. Jane glanced at their joined hands briefly, flexing her fingers.

_I never lashed out like this before, on anyone, even on the worst scumbags I've had the pleasure of putting cuffs on. This was different; it was a whole other ball game. Hell, it's like I hit a home run and ran all the bases twelve times. The anger, the rage, the only thing I felt was the punches I dealt and...it felt good. The control, it was intense. I turned his face into porridge with my own fists for God's sake. _Truth be told, the brunette scared herself and she was glad Maura was hidden behind a wall. Sure, her girlfriend read about it in the papers, heard the gossip around the station, but when the doctor wanted to hear what had happened from the source, from Jane, she was shut down faster than a power plant with a radioactive leak. _How am I supposed to start a conversation like that? Hey sweetie, oh yeah by the way I killed someone by punching his whole face in, want pasta for diner? I'm sure that'd be hella romantic. Maybe I need to consult a professional, like Cavanaugh's been up my ass about. _Jane was broken out of her thoughts as she felt Maura tugging her whole arm, bringing the brunette closer towards her.

"Are you alright, honey? You seem tense all of a sudden." Maura remarked with concern, placing her free hand on Jane's cheek .

"I'm fine, Maur." Jane forced a smile as she stole a kiss from the petite blond. What intended to be just a peck almost turned into a make out session as the kiss quickly grew in passion. The pair only broke apart as someone behind them coughed. The brunette wasn't sure if it was on purpose, but she let the kiss linger, letting out an audible groan as she pulled back. This elicited a laugh from Maura, who playfully pushed Jane back. _She's so beautiful when she laughs._ The brunette thought as she glanced between the smaller woman's swollen lips and hazel eyes with a love sick smile.

Maura moved the hand that was resting on the brunette's cheek down her jaw and around her neck, feeling the tense muscles under her fingers. Her eyes opened wide as she figured out what might be making her girlfriend so nervous. "Jane...Are you afraid of flying?"

"What? No, of course not." The brunette frowned as she answered truthfully. _Yeah I'm tense, but not for the reason she thinks. God, why can't I talk to her about this?_

The doctor narrowed her eyes slightly, not completely believing the detective. "Well, if you do feel a rise of anxiety when we start gaining altitude, you can hold my hand."

"I don't know what I would do without you." Jane replied melodramatically, placing her free, gauze-clad hand on her exposed chest. The woman had opted to wear something comfortable for the seven hour flight: a white thank top, a pair of blue jeans, ripped at the knee, and white sneakers. Let's not forget her badge and handgun. Let's just say, it's much easier going through security with those on.

"The seat belt light is on, better fastened your belt Jane." Maura uselessly pointed out, somewhat nervously.

"Thanks, Maura, I would have _never_ guessed." The brunette retorted sarcastically as she secured the seat belt around her lanky body.

Maura straightened in her seat as the engines started. "Jet engines, or gas turbines, operate on one of Isaac Newton's law of physics. The third one to be precise: For every action, there is an equal opposite reaction." This fact, however, wasn't spilled out with her usual bubbly happiness. The plane started moving forward causing, the doctor to grip Jane's arm with both of her hands, squeezing tight enough to stop the blood from circulating.

"Maur,"

"Did you know that commercial planes crash twenty times a year?"

"Maura."

"Statistics indicate that there's an average of nine million flights each year."

"My arm, Maura."

The doctor simply continued spitting out facts and clutching to Jane's arm tighter. "Which means there's a 2.2 percent chance we could experience a malfunction that will cause our airplane to lose altitude extremely quickly and crash into the ground or into water or even-"

"Maura!" Jane exclaimed, finally getting the petite woman's attention. Some of the other passengers turned their head to stare at the two women. _Yes I just raised my voice. No, I'm not going to bomb the plane. Turn around and continue minding your business even if it's boring. _Is what the brunette really wanted to say to the nosey passengers. However, she was far too focused on her girlfriend and the throbbing pain in her arm. "You're hurting my arm." She said in a lowered voice.

Maura only loosened her grip, but hadn't let go completely. No, she refused to let go.

Jane couldn't hold in her laughter as she realized what was happening. The doctor looked like a frightened cat holding on to their owner, eyes bugged out. "You're afraid of flying." It wasn't a question, but a statement.

"Not afraid of flying, per se. Afraid of the plane crashing and dying of a horrible excruciating death." Maura slouched down in her seat, hiding her face on Jane's shoulder as the plane quickly gained speed.

"But you fly _all_ the time." Jane was having an inner battle: comfort the woman or play with her a little? I think we all know what the detective chose. She leaned her body over on Maura's side, peering out of the window. "Man, we're gaining altitude pretty quickly. Look how high we are, you wouldn't want the engines to give out now. Ouch."

"You and your attitude will find the couch very comfortable tonight."

"We'll be in a hotel room, there's_ no_ couch."

"Oh there is, including a king size bed, a Jacuzzi and a kitchenette. It's a master suite."

_Damn. Switching strategy, Operation: getting out of the dog house commencing. _Jane thought as she extended her arm behind Maura's shoulders, closing the tiny window. She rested said arm around the doctor, soothingly rubbing her right shoulder. " Well...two percent isn't much. And hey, if we crash in water," Jane raised one eyebrow as she stared down at her girlfriend's cleavage. "We won't drown."

Maura tried to calm her nerves down by hiding her face in Jane's neck, nuzzling the warm sweet smelling skin bellow. "How exactly, Jane? I doubt they're equipped with lifeboats and-that's what I forgot to pack! A parachute."

"Slow your roll. We're not going to crash. We're not going to need parachute. We'll be in London in a few hours doing what people do when they're in Europe on vacation. Alright?"

She didn't know when it happened, or what miracle made it happen, but the doctor soon fell into a peaceful slumber in Jane's comforting embrace. It was the first sleep that the doctor had gotten where she wasn't haunted by nightmares of Jane getting to her too late, then seeing the detective broken down at her funeral. Maura had felt insecure, even in Jane's arms, to close her eyes.

* * *

><p>"No."<p>

"Jane..."

"Hell, no."

"Jane, you look-"

"Silly." Jane finished Maura's sentence, motioning to her current attire. The doctor had managed to drag her reluctant girlfriend to a store which housed all of the popular overpriced designer brands. "I'm wearing a dress with hand bandages. Maura, I can't wear this tonight." The brunette argued. She looked down at herself, peeling off the material from her hips and pouting. _I hate wearing dresses, she knows that._

"Anything goes with an Armani cocktail dress." Maura stepped closer towards Jane, taking both of her wounded hands and lifting them up. "These bandages make you look nothing less than heroic, my dear." _She truly doesn't know how amazing she is._ She thought as she gently squeezed her Jane's hands.

Jane smiled at the doctor. "Thank you," It soon faded away as the detective pulled her hands away and placed both of them on Maura's shoulders. "But I look like I'm going to shoot a boxing themed porno." She said in a serious, slow tone.

"You could wear gloves."

"Do I look like Michael Jackson to you?"

"Well, you do have a similar eye shape and the natural wavy hair..." The doctor trailed off, scrunching her eyebrows together as she examined the detective's face. "I never noticed this before." She held Jane's face by her chin, turning it sideways. "Your nasal structure and even your chin looks very much like his."

"Maura, you're comparing me to a plastic doll."

"The word 'plastic' in plastic surgery is misleading. In fact, no amount of plastic is used to perform face lifts or any other body altering changes for that matter." Maura happily explained. "Did you know that Dolly Parton-"

"Maur..." Jane warned, clenching her jaw.

The petite blond offered a sheepish smile to her girlfriend as she let go of Jane's face. Thankfully for Maura, a woman interrupted them.

"Does it fit?" She asked in a thick British accent, trying not to let her eyes roam the tall brunette's lanky curves.

Maura sighed, knowing it would take more to convince Jane to wear proper clothes for the evening. That's when she spotted the men's section, which was filled with elegant suits. "I have an idea."

"If you're getting me a sparkling suit I'll-" The brunette started, pointing her finger at Maura, who was now venturing amongst men's clothing. She lifted her eyebrow, stopping in mid sentence when she felt the store clerk's gaze on her. The woman retreated back to the fitting room, grumbling under her breath about the fact that she looked nothing like the former pop star.

Not more than fifteen minutes later, a suit was thrown over the door.

"Let me see how it looks." Maura called out as she patiently waited in front of the fitting room.

Jane stepped out wearing a dark blue Hugo Boss suit. The simple black leather belt matched the dress shoes of the same color. The shirt underneath was pearl white, meant to be accentuated by a solid, deep red tie. However, the brunette held the tie in her left hand, holding it towards the medical examiner "Would you..."

"Of course." Maura smiled brightly, slipping the red material around Jane's neck. "It seems complicated when in reality, it's fairly simple. The Pratt knot, commonly used with dress shirts-"

"Wait a second, these knots have names?" The detective asked incredulously.

"Yes, there's the four in hand, the half Windsor, the Windsor and the Pratt knot, which is the one I'm doing right now. You start with the necktie inside out and the wide end situated approximately twelve inches below." The doctor explained, her hands moving in time with what she was saying. "You then cross the wide end under the small one. You then slip the wide end over and under the narrow end."

Jane couldn't keep her eyes of Maura's lips as she spoke and licked her own in the process. Even in midst Google talk, the blond couldn't look sexier. She had to resist the urge to wrap her arms around Maura's waist, pull her closer and interrupt her with a searing kiss. They had an audience after all.

"After pulling the wider end over the smaller one to the right, you slip the wide one _behind_ the loop, brining it through the knot and tightening it once more." Maura finished, languidly smoothing both of her hands down the tie, erasing any wrinkles in her path. She pulled on it slightly as her fingers reached the bottom. The petite doctor smiled up at her girlfriend. "And that's how you tie...a tie." She said with a slight chuckle.

"Why thank you, kind ma'am." Jane rasped, staring into Maura's eyes lovingly. They stayed in this position until they heard an intrusive voice.

"We rarely get women costumers who are interested in our Men's merchandise. Although, I can see why you would be." The London native expressed.

Maura tilted her head sideways, crossing both of her hands in front of her. "You do look rather pretty, Jane."

"Quite an understatement, madam." She smiled a little bit too sweetly at Maura before devoting her entire attention towards the detective. "If I may, this suit couldn't fit you any better." The woman approached the tall brunette, casually, or strategically, placing her hand on Jane's bicep. "My, you have toned arms. Do you work out?"

"I'm a detective, so I-" Jane looked between both women. If she didn't know any better, she'd say that Maura looked jealous. _The green monster comes out._

"Jane usually works out twice a week, _with me_. We also attend yoga classes frequently, _together_, and run early in the morning before work, _together_." The doctor was trying to make a point, which the already wooed clerk didn't seem to understand.

"You must have a lot of stamina, I'm assuming." The woman said, giggling like a school girl talking to the captain of the football team.

However, Jane appeared oblivious to the suggestiveness in the clerk's tone. "Makes it easier to run after a suspect." She explained casually, looking over the woman's shoulder to stare at her reflection in the lengthy mirror. _Man...I look smooth. At least that's what Frost would say, if he'd be here._

"We'll take it." Maura blurted out, quickly glancing at Jane, who shrugged and nodded her head in agreement. The petit blond pulled out a gold American Express card from her purse. "Here, put it on this credit card." She desperately wanted the woman away from her girlfriend, and she succeeded, without showing a hint of irritation.

"Fantastic, thank you." The clerk said, taking the credit card with a smile. She happily strutted back behind the cash register.

"Maura, you don't have too." Jane couldn't help but feel bad for letting Maura take the bill for this one. She was perfectly aware of the fact that the doctor could easily afford the suit, maybe a whole box of it, yet it still bothered the brunette.

"I don't, but I want to." Maura's hands trailed down the lapels of the taller brunette's suit, balling her fits at the bottom of the jacket. "You can look at it as a... thank you for all the diners, movies and other outings you've paid for the both of us, when there was really no need too." Her tone had suddenly changed to a huskier one as she looked up her girlfriend while pulling her closer. Their lips were inches from each other; the only thing separating their mouths was the thick air surrounding them.

"But..." Jane rasped, her eyes glued to the smaller woman's lips.

"No buts, unless it's this one," Maura slid her rid hand around Jane's waist and down to gracefully envelope a firm behind. "Who should be getting back in that fitting room, if it doesn't want to get in trouble." She slowly squeezed the flesh underneath her hand.

"Kinky."

"You don't know the half of it, detective."

Jane smirked as she took two slow steps backwards, her brown orbs still fixated on the beautiful woman standing in front of her. "Is it bad I kinda want to?" _Damn, why are we in a public place?_

Maura matched the brunette's smirk. "Go." She said firmly, crossing both of her hands in front of her chest.

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am." Jane placed her index and middle finger against her temple, as she army saluted the doctor. She engaged in a swift 180 turn, stilling her movements to throw a glance over her shoulder. She flipped her hair dramatically before entering the cabin once more. She couldn't fight the grin that tugged at her lips as she heard her girlfriend stifling a laugh. _I'll never get tired of making her laugh._

Maura contemplated joining the silly detective in the fitting room, but her feet seemed glued to the ground. She chewed on her thumbnail as she fantasised about all the magnificent reasons why public sex is be adrenaline filled, yet very, very wrong. _I don't usually do, actually never did anything of the sorts, let alone think about them._ Jane was exceptionally good at making the doctor break her own rules, however. Maura was broken out of her day dream as the cabin door opened.

Jane emerged wearing a simple t-shirt and jeans combo she promised herself to religiously wear during their whole trip. There's also a high possibility of the ever so popular tank-top and long shorts. If, the non-moving formation of clouds over England ever decided to let the sun throw its scorching heat on the tall buildings, bumping the humidity factor to a suffocating seventy-two percent. _When you put it like that...never mind._

Both women walked up to the counter, Jane dumped the suit and the shoes on it while the blond signed the receipt. "Thank you, for your excellent service. Have a wonderful day." Maura thanked the woman with a forced, over friendly, smile.

"My pleasure, ladies." The clerk replied, briefly looking at the doctor before letting her stare linger on the tall detective.

Jane nodded at the woman as she grabbed the bag of clothes._ Is everybody here ecstatic when we buy their clothes? I guess she gets a pretty good commission._ She held out her arm for Maura to take as the couple exited the store. The brunette fished the receipt out of the bag with curiosity. "That's way too much anyone should ever pay for a suit and shoes." She bit the corner of her lip as the bold eight, followed by an equally bold four and a zero really did nothing to make her feel better about Maura paying for the ensemble.

"The price was fair." The petite woman shrugged with a slight smirk. She had memorized the price tags for the suit and the shoes and made the calculation in her head, even the taxes, instead of simply glancing at the bill. _One needs to keep their brain alert and exercise often every day. Alzheimer is a very poignant degenerative disease. Something I wouldn't wish on anyone, or myself. Yikes._

"I don't see how something that was nearly 1G fair, Maura."

"Nearly? Don't you mean one thousand two hundred and fifty seven Pounds."

"Yeah-" Jane paused as she raised her eyebrow at Maura's answer, scrunching up her face. "You really are a cyborg." She joked, getting the receipt ripped out of her hands.

"If I was, you would have known by now. Our technology is not nearly advanced enough for that yet. Although, I'm fairly certain 'cyborgs', as you call them, have metallic insides..." Maura's explanation diminished gradually, as she began focusing on the numbers. _Those calculations are incorrect. What's this thirty percent discount?_ With the 'Good Samaritan' discount, the bill totalled eight hundred Euros, instead of the doctor's earlier calculation. Maura held the paper higher as if the numbers would make more sense that way. She noticed something was written on the back. The medical examiner turned it over and what she saw made her stop in her tracks. "The nerve! I'll show her."

Jane, whom was still walking, got roughly anchored a few steps back. One of her long legs wasn't touching the ground and remained in the air in order for her to keep her balance and not crash on the pavement. "Isn't it good...news?" Her question fell to deaf ears as Maura furiously clacked away in her heals, marching down the street. "Or not." _I had no idea offering a rich person a discount was like telling them they can't buy Hugh Hefner's mansion. Jeez. _

Maura didn't wait for Jane, as she entered the store in a furious rage. "Who do you think you are? Do you truly believe it's alright to give my partner _your_ number?" She asked, slapping the bill down on the counter. "Do you make a habit of flirting with women who are _clearly_ unavailable?"

"I-I'm truly sorry, I had no idea." The clerk tried, feeling slightly embarrassed for her mistake.

But, that did nothing to stop the doctor's ramble, "Which you wrote on the back of the bill, no less. That is _completely_ unprofessional. Your superior will hear from this. _And_, we don't need your discount." Maura spat, accusingly pointing her index at the woman.

"Maur, c'mon." Jane growled as she gripped the petite woman's bicep, effectively pulling her backwards. She turned towards the clerk, as she continued to pull the enraged doctor out of the store. "I'm sorry, she's just...jet lagged." The brunette continued with an apologetic smile. "Oh, and she was kidding about the discount. Thank you! Bye bye now." She said in her friendliest tone. "What the hell was that about?" Jane released her grip on her girlfriend's arm as they exited the store, standing in front of the woman, both of her hands resting where they usually sit on her badge and the butt of her handgun.

Maura made a face at the detective's roughness, rubbing the sore spot on her arm. "You can defend your territory and I can't?" She asked, looking like a wounded kitten that got its milk stolen.

"Hey, that's different," Jane defended. "That...ass was being disrespectful towards you." She said, sternly pointing her finger at Maura.

"And that clerk giving you her number isn't disrespectful towards me?"

The Italian's face considerably softened. She let her hand slowly fall down to her side. "I guess, if you look at it that way, it is." She knew Maura was perfectly right. Come to think of it, seeing the doctor in such a state wasn't all that unpleasant. Jane hadn't noticed the smirk forming on the corner of her lips.

"What?" Maura asked, frowning at the brunette's expression.

"It's hot. You, going alpha female. You should do it more often."

Maura smiled warmly as she pressed her hand against her chest, bowing her head slightly. "Why thank you. Although we aren't from the Canis Lupus species, I will take it as a compliment."

Jane chuckled at Maura, tilting her head back as she let out a wolf howl. Both women giggled as they made their way down the busy London streets, hand in hand. "Werewolf in London." She said in a dramatic voice.

"What is that?" The blond asked happily.

Jane raised her eyebrow, glancing at Maura from the corner of her eye. "Movie marathon, when we get home." She stated, matter-of-factly, nodding her head at her own statement. She looked around at the mass of people around them, straight couples had no shame in showing affection in public, why should they? "Maybe, we just have to be more...obvious, that we're together."

"Correct. It would save a lot of useless arguments."

"Agreed." Jane smiled as she leaned down to kiss the petite woman square on the mouth. _By standers be damned, PDA activated. It's for the greater good, anyways. Why do I feel like Batman, again? _"Hey, Doctor's orders." Was the brunette's response towards Maura's slightly surprised reaction. _If I was a superhero, I wouldn't wear spandex. Just sayin'._

* * *

><p>Detective Rizzoli stood, shirtless, in front of the full length mirror in their hotel suite, courtesy of the Queen of England herself, adjusting the belt around her waist. She tied her hair in a high pony tail, the curly ends of her hair, however, still managed to cascade a little ways down her back, tickling the naked edge of her shoulder blades. She then put on her silver wristwatch, clipping it around her wrist. She lifted her eyes in the mirror, noticing she had the perfect view of Maura, whom was busy applying her make up in the bathroom. <em>It's referred to a bathroom, as there is a bath in it. Wonderful terminology, don't you think, Jane? Yes, Maura. That's...fantastic.<em> Jane recalled their earlier conversation as they quickly toured the suite. The doctor could make any dull, boring, object become slightly less monotonous with her array of fun facts. Although, the brunette was far more focused on all the flat surfaces the two of them could make love on. _The Jacuzzi, the dresser, that ginormous bed -_even something as simple as- _The walls. _The detective picked up the freshly ironed dress shirt, wondering how and when she became such a horn dog. _Don't get me wrong, I liked sex before. But with Maura, oh man, I LOVE sex. Call me addicted, 'cause she got me hooked, bad. Maybe I can get a prescription for it: More sex. _Jane chuckled to herself as she stuffed the buttoned shirt into the clean cut dress pants.

"Honey," Maura called out as she applied a soft, yet deep, shade of red lipstick. "If you need help with your tie, don't hesitate." _I know how hard headed you can be_, the doctor thought as she pressed her bottom lip against her upper one, evenly spreading the color around. She looked at herself in the mirror, closely inspecting her handy work._ Perfect_. The petite woman smiled at her reflection as she closed the lipstick, placing it back into her makeup pouch.

"Will do." Jane responded as she carefully picked up the dark blue jacket. _I feel like I should be handling this like a Gold ingot._ After slipping on said garment, Jane stared down at the last piece to this fashion puzzle, picking it up like it was an untamed, wild animal. _You can do this; you were a sprout trooper for God's sake. Alright, here we go, just like Maur showed me._ The detective followed the steps and before she knew it, the tie was tied like a tie should be tied when you tie a tie. Drunken tongue twister of the evening, ladies and lezzies.

Dr. Isles stepped out of the bathroom, leaning against the door frame, where one would pass through if they wanted to enter the confines of the 'bedroom'. Yes, this suite was fully equipped with a separate bedroom, cut off from the rest of the vast room by two exquisite French doors. Maura's cocktail dress for the evening showed off a shade of dark blue which closely matched Jane's suit. The garment dipping low down Maura's back, exposing the porcelain soft skin. This color was greatly complimented by a pair of dark red, closed Jimmy Choo heels. The pair of shoes acted like the detective's red tie. Tie, tie, tie, tie. Alright, it's out of my system now. "How do I...I." She began in a sultry tone. However, her breath caught in her throat, rendering the woman unable to speak as her hazel eyes fell on none other than Jane. And what a sight it was. _I hope I can't get pregnant from this. I have extensive knowledge on the several breeding methods that exist to this day. I can honestly state that staring at a gorgeous woman in a gorgeous suit isn't one of them. Hopefully. _

Jane turned around to face her girlfriend, smugly adjusting the tie around her neck and moving her hand in front of her mouth like she's plucking a mobster worthy cigar out of her mouth, _a la_ Don Corlerone. _"I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse."_ She recited in a thick Italian accent, pointing to herself, her index and middle finger spread as if said cigar was wedged between the two. She then pretended to inhale smoke and then breathing it out slowly.

"That-That's quite a performance, Detective." Maura cleared her throat, smoothing the invisible wrinkles in her dress as to cover up her sudden arousal.

"Wait," She held up her hand, looking at Maura's outfit, then her own. "You color coordinated our outfits?" The question was spoken slowly, as if Jane didn't believe what was coming out of her own mouth.

"Well," Maura looked down at her dress. "You said we needed to be more obvious about the fact that we're in a relationship..."

"And you thought matching our outfits, like six year old twins, would help?" Jane exclaimed, moving her arms around with every word spoken.

Maura's bottom lip jutted out as she full on pouted. "I just thought it would look...cute." The doctor said in a small voice, smiling apologetically.

"_You're_ lucky that _you're_ cute." The Italian grinned as she wrapped her arms around the smaller woman's waist, giving the tip of Maura's nose a quick peck.

"Actually, luck has nothing to do with genetics. The fact that you have impeccable traits starts with-"

"Something I wouldn't understand seeing as I don't have a PhD in Google." Jane finished the sentence and took a step back, opening her arms. "I think it's safe to say, that you like. Yeah?" She smirked and stuffed her hands in the pockets, rocking back on her heels.

Maura walked up to the teasing detective. "Oh I like. I like _very_ much." She whispered as she took hold of Jane's tie, pulling her down. She twisted her hand around the red fabric, bringing Jane's face that much closer to hers.

The tall brunette softly placed both of her scared hands on either side of Maura's face. "Sei bellissima."* She whispered huskily, before leaning down and firmly pressing her lips against the doctors'.

"Jane..." The petite blond breathed against the detective's soft lips.

"Maura." Jane repeated in a teasing tone as she trailed her kisses down Maura's jaw.

The doctor moved her head sideways, closing her eyes as she let the wonderful sensation of Jane's lips claiming her neck. "We have...we have to be there in fifteen minutes."

"Is there suppose to be a point?" Jane nipped and sucked the heated skin under her lips.

"We can't be late." Her hands clutched to Jane's biceps.

"We won't." She let the curve of Maura's sides guide her hands down to her hips as she rested one of her hands on a delicate thigh.

The medical examiner pulled back, placing her hand over Jane's one that was currently sitting on her thigh. "We're a tad confident, are we, Detective?" She asked with her own smirk, tracing small circles around the single scar, careful not to touch the bandages on Jane's hand.

"You think I can't make you orgasm in fifteen minutes?" Jane brushed her thumb along the skin below in a languid up and down motion.

"Can you?" Maura questioned with a raised eyebrow, looking at her girlfriend through her eyelashes. She let her hand slide up Jane's forearm, then downwards again, lightly dragging her nails against the woman's olive skin in the process.

"I sense a challenge." Jane started to back them up towards the king size fortress of a bed.

She let herself fall backwards as her knees came in contact with the mattress. "You sense right." The blond bit her bottom lip as she pulled Jane down on top of her by the hem of her jacket.

The brunette placed one knee between her girlfriend's thighs, straddling Maura's left leg. "Double or nothing, I make you scream my name, twice,_ in_ ten minutes." Her hands fell beside the woman's head, giving her the support needed as she arched her back, pressing her crotch flush against Maura's'.

Her hand flew behind the brunette's head, gripping it tightly as she forced it down. The need and want quickly took over her actions. Everything that happened in the last two days had thrown both women off track. However, instead of talking it out, unspoken words translated in rough physical contact. "You're on." Maura whispered, searching for chocolate brown eyes, searching for the control they lost when the doctor was taken hostage.

"Oh we are _so_ on, _sweetie_." The detective forcibly pushed the dress upwards, snaking two fingers past the barrier of Maura's panties and easily slipping them inside her heated core.

"Oh..." The doctor hissed in a breath, her previous confident attitude melting away as Jane's fingers filled her and set her whole body on fire. She wrapped her arms around her girlfriend's shoulders, holding onto to Jane as if she let go, the woman would crumble into a pile of ash. "Jane...don't.."

"What?" The woman lifted her head, confused as she stared down at Maura's contorted face.

"Ever let go." She finished in a shaky breath as she rocked her hips against Jane's fingers.

"Never." The detective replied, leaning down to capture Maura's lips in a heated kiss.

The words spoken held a deeper, more powerful meaning that both women had yet to comprehend. Neither one of them wanted to understand, or begin to figure out what it meant. The only thing they wanted to feel was each other. The room was silent except from the detective's name repeatedly being chanted by a certain doctor.

* * *

><p>"Oh my God, Jane!" The doctor exclaimed as she faced her girlfriend.<p>

"_Why _are you yelling?" Jane whispered through gritted teeth. "Didn't you yell enough back at-ow!"

The doctor lightly elbowed Jane in the ribs, cutting off her sentence. "My, lipstick, smudged." She said slowly, almost dangerously.

"That's why you're shouting? Really?" Jane asked disbelievingly as she rubbed her sore ribs.

"Don't use that tone with me, miss."

"You're-ugh." The brunette twisted her neck sideway and closed her mouth tightly, letting out a muffled groan as she clenched her fists together. She somehow made the conclusion that it would be better if she kept her trap shut, this time. _She yells at me and I get in trouble? Unbelievable. _

"Stop moving and let me fix it." Maura tried to match her firm tone with an equally firm expression, but her efforts were useless. She couldn't stay mad at Jane even if she tried. The doctor used her thumb to erase the smudged red lipstick from the detective's mouth. "There. Now we're ready." She said, suddenly excited like a teenager waiting in line for a roller coaster ride. "Is my hair okay? My mother would notice if it looks out of place." Maura started to nervously thread her fingers through her hair.

"Actually," Jane held onto a single strand of honey-blond hair. "This hair is two millimeters off." Jane employed a dramatic tone to enhance her over-exaggeration.

"Shut up." Maura slapped the brunette's hand away as she continued up the stairs.

"I was...joking." The Italian paused in mid sentence as Maura held up her index in front of her face, silently telling her to stop talking, in the most polite way possible, of course.

They approached the young man at the front entrance door. "Hello, I'm _Doctor _Maura Isles and this is _Detective_ Jane Rizzoli. I believe we're on your list." She wasn't using their social status to scare or to intimidate the man, but merely to make sure if her mother had forgotten, again, to add them to list, they had a plan B.

"Right you are. Here are your passes." The man smiled brightly, handing both the women a piece of plasticized paper that looked like a credit card. "You may present this to the bartender in order to receive a free drink. Have fun ladies."

"Thanks...Yoda." Jane said, making a face as she slid the card in the inner pocket of her jacket.

"She's rather lovely before she opens her mouth, isn't she?" If the brunette wanted to be mouthy, Maura wouldn't hesitate to embarrass her.

"Sure..." He said, frowning slightly, unsure if he should have agreed or dismissed the question entirely. It wasn't his place to get involved in a lover's spat.

"She's a comedian. A comedian doctor. A very underrated profession." The detective replied as she glanced at Maura with a mock proud expression, throwing her arm around the smaller woman's shoulders.

"I'm not sure I'm following..."

"Let's go now, _honey_, my parents are waiting for us." Do not let the dazzling smile fool you, what was supposed to be a sweet pet name, was said in a harsh and commanding tone.

"Of course, of course." Jane put on a fake smile before she turned to the young man, whom was desperate to get away from this crazy couple. She looked at him seriously and mouthed: Never get a girlfriend. She patted him on the back and followed Maura's ass, at least that's where her eyes were, as they entered the building.

Both women were pleasantly surprised to see that the antique look of the building continued inside. The dining hall was as large as an American Football field, if not bigger. There was a massive crystal suspended chandelier, which was probably bigger than Maura's Prius, illuminated the whole room. The dinning set looked as sophisticated as the high ceiling with the detailed and eccentric wall accents.

"This very room was designed by William Wilkins in the early 1920 era." Maura explained as she laced her arm through Jane's.

"Yeah, I guessed this wasn't Martha Stewart's work." The detective replied as she looked up at the ceiling.

The doctor chuckled, lightly slapping the brunette's arm. "Very funny. Although, Stewart's decorating style is very different from this Georgian Gothic. It's along the lines of modern-contemporary."

"No more home decorating channel for you." Jane teased with a wink.

"Oh God, here they are. Behave, please?" The blond pleaded.

"You say that like I _never_ behave." The detective retorted sarcastically.

Maura gave one last pleading look before turning towards the approaching couple. Before she had the chance to say anything, they both enveloped her in a tight hug.

"Oh, darling. How good it is to see you." Constance said, as she squeezed her daughter. She had never displayed this much emotion towards Maura during the whole twenty years she and her husband had raised her. Tragic events change people, some for the better and some for the worst. In this case, we can safely assume it was for the better.

"We were so worried." The man continued. He was tall, about the same height as Jane. His hair was kept short, neatly trimmed, but slightly longer in the front, making them look a little bit wilder when they weren't brushed to the side. He had a very square jaw line and a cleft just like the detective. His eyes were small, although the bright sea blue color compensated for their size. It brought a certain kindness to his face. In his younger days, he would have been a very handsome man.

As her adoptive parents pulled away from the family embrace, Maura placed a hand on Jane's shoulder, turning towards her father with a dashing smile. "Father, this is Jane Rizzoli. Detective Jane Rizzoli. She-"

Mr. Isles held his hand towards the brunette, whom reciprocated the gesture. "Detective Rizzoli, of course. You're the brave woman who saved my daughter's life."

"We can't thank you enough, Detective. What you did," Constance said, placing a hand over her chest as she looked at her husband. "It means so much to us." Her voice cracked slightly as she tried to swallow down the emotions.

Jane shook the man's hand firmly, nodding her head with a polite, almost shy smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Isles. And there's no need to thank me, Maura's my...best friend." Jane hesitated, momentarily glancing at the petite blond beside her. _Crap, Maura had planned how we were going to tell them. Let's hope they don't ask too much questions about her personal life._

"Well, she's a very lucky woman to have a friend like you in her life, Detective."

"Call me, Jane, sir."

"Would you like a drink, _Jane_?" He emphasized her name, showing the woman he understood her request.

"That would be great." Jane replied vaguely, fiddling with her hands.

"If you could a little more specific..." Mr. Isles said as he motioned towards the bar, which housed every brand of liquid courage you could dream of.

The brunette laughed nervously. _Awesome, Rizzoli, you look like a ditz. _"Right, ah, a beer is, just fine. Thank you."

"We have Strongbow in a tap, if that's quite alright with you."

"Sounds...great." _And a total penis metaphor._ The detective covered up her chuckle as she scratched the back of her head and looked down at her shoes.

"You look dashing, Maura. And so do you, Jane. It's good to see you again." Mrs. Isles complimented, genuinely happy to see the brunette again. Her bluntness helped the distant mother to realize she had to make up for the time she had lost. The time she could have spent getting to know the amazing woman she had raised herself, even if, biologically, she wasn't truly hers.

"Thank you mother. You look rather stunning yourself." Maura placed one of her hands on Jane's arm. "If you'll both excuse me, I'll accompany father to get us some drinks." She explained as she followed the tall man towards the busy bar.

"Right back at ya." Jane said with a grin. "It was nice to see you put us on the list this time." She teased.

"I do apologize for-Oh my, is that a Hugo Boss suit?"

"Eh, yeah." Jane said as she awkwardly looked down at herself.

Constance looked at the woman up and down. "I have to say you're one of the first women I have seen wearing such an exquisite suit. Oddly enough, it fits you perfectly."

"I don't know if I should take that as a compliment, but thanks." Both women chuckled. "Maura, she picked it, for me." Jane deepened, subconsciously biting her lip as she thought of their little 'challenge', which she won. _I got mad skills, yo._

"My daughter does appreciate the finer things in life." Constance was beginning to suspect her daughter had a much deeper relationship with the detective. She did invite Jane to the charity event, but she also specified that they both could bring dates also. Two gorgeous women such as these two couldn't possibly have this much trouble finding a date unless they didn't want any. _Or perhaps I'm thinking too much and becoming paranoid._

"That she does." She smiled as she spotted Maura and her father walking towards them, both of them holding two drinks.

"Here you go, ho-Jane." Maura's eye went wide as she realized she almost referred to Jane as her 'honey' in front of her clueless parents. She quickly handed the brunette her requested beer, but found herself trapped as she tried to withdraw her hand.

Jane narrowed her eyes at the doctor, clasping her hand over Maura's on the tulip glass. "Did you just call me a ho?" The detective asked in a low whisper.

"I did _not_. I had a near slip. Now, Strongbow is an apple cider beer; don't look too surprised when you drink it." Maura used their closeness to her advantage as she quickly informed her girlfriend about this fact.

Jane raised her eyebrow at the doctor; trying to keep a straight face as she used all the subtlety she could muster to smell the alcoholic beverage. _Doesn't smell like a garbage bag, I guess that's a green flag. _Tentatively, the woman approached her lips towards the rim of the glass and took a tiny sip. "Oh man, this is good."

"Brewed locally. One of England's finest ciders." Mr. Isles explained with a proud smile as he handed a glass of champagne to his wife.

"No kiddin'. We need some of this at home." Jane commented. She lifted the glass to her lips fully; having every intention of guzzling down the liquid like it was the last drop of alcohol on earth. Although, she saw the 'Please behave' look Maura was giving her, thus having to settle for a tiny sip. She had no choice to comply if she wanted to get some tonight, or to simply not have to sleep on the couch for getting piss drunk and embarrassing her in front of all these rich white people, just like she had previously had the honor to do at the Fairfield mansion two years ago. You can take a breath, that was a long sentence.

"Jane...likes beer." Maura justified, with a nervous chuckle of her own.

After a light conversation, the foursome sat down in the middle of one of the many dining tables, surrounded by strangers. _I wonder if they'd all have heart attacks if they knew I was only a detective and earned a yearly salary equal to their monthly paychecks. This just in, disaster strikes at a charity event where a few hundreds of rich white people suddenly suffered heart attacks. Why is Maura looking at me weird, why is...everyone looking at me weird? Oh crap, did I say that out loud? _

"May I ask what is so funny, Miss Rizzoli?" Constance asked, eager to hear what the detective had to say.

_Thank the lord of...beer. I was laughing alone. That doesn't seem crazy at all now does it? Who asked you?_ "I was just...thinking about a joke...Maura told me earlier." Jane lied.

"Really?" The professor looked pleasantly surprised as she turned to her daughter. "I don't remember you to be the avid joker, dear."

Maura exchanged glances with Jane briefly before she cleared her throat and smiled at her mother. "I guess Jane's rubbing off on me." _In more ways than one._

"Dear, may I ask, are you seeing anyone?"

"Ah, I-I-I...Well," The doctor's brain was working overtime to try and come up with something that wasn't a lie, but wasn'the truth either.

_I think a change of subject is in order before they start to pry too much. _"So, what's for dinner?" The detective leaned forward on the table, resting her weight on her elbows as she intertwined her hands together.

"We will be served a ten course diner, starting with oyster meyer lemon granite, stiped bass collar and cuttlefish and oxtail. One of the deserts will be a lemon mousse with pine nuts brittle and parsley. The rest is a surprise." Mrs. Isles revealed with a slight giddiness, similar to Maura's.

"Oh, goody. I love surprises." Jane's face fell as she turned to Maura; leaning close enough to be able to whisper in the small amount of privacy they were given. "I don't even know what all those are and frankly I'm not sure I want to. The names make me want to vomit in my mouth and-"

"Okay, stop. I get it." Maura whispered back. "Just...chug it down like you would if it was beer."

"What is_ that_ suppose to mean?" Jane growled in a whisper.

The blond woman simply moved away and gave her girlfriend a pointed look then turned her attention towards two very inquisitive parents. "Jane isn't familiar with European cuisine." The both nodded their heads in unison.

The detective made it her life goal, for right now, to get herself another beer before they were served their first meal. If it was as bad as it sounded, at least she could chase it down with the sweet and bitter beverage. As Jane sat back down, with the comfort of a cold beer in her hand, their first course was being served: Oyster Meyer. _Vomit. I don't understand why fancy places serve snot. _"Maura," She turned her head, coughing in order to hide her very audible gag. "I can't eat this." She continued regretfully.

Maura bottom lip started to quiver as her forehead creased and her hazel eyes started to water.

"Maur, are you alright?" Jane asked, her voice laced with concern.

"I...I." The petite blond attempted putting words into a sentence. She quickly sat up and disappeared in the women's washroom.

"Oh dear, what could have her this bothered?" Mrs. Isles questioned, craning her head to see her daughter quickly retreat to the washrooms. She was about to stand up when Jane beat her to it.

"I'll go. We'll be right back." Jane excused herself from the table, tracking Maura's footsteps. There were about a dozen women in line in front of the door. _Really, you have ONE bathroom in a fancy place like this?_ However, the detective didn't spot the honey-blond in the line, which indicated she was most-likely the one occupying the washroom. She walked in front of the line and knocked on the door. "Open the door, it's me. Please."

"Hey! Wait in line like everybody else." A woman complained.

Jane mimicked her tone: "Hey! I know, let's play mind your own damn business." She replied harshly, hitting the door harder. "Maura, open the door." Still no response.

"Bloody Americans. Think they own the planet." The woman grumbled under her breath.

"Maura, I'll kick the door down if you don't open it." The detective warned, taking a step back with every intention to do so.

"Someone should call the pigs. This bird is definitely going bonkers."

Jane glared at the European woman as she moved her jacket to reveal her shiny gold badge. "Wha'd you call us?"

The woman's eyes went wide with embarrassment and fear. Not another word was spoken.

The door creaked open, just barely, but enough for Jane to snake her hand in between and wedge herself in.

"Did I hear someone call you a pig?" Maura asked with a slight frown as she blew her nose with toilet paper.

"S'not important. I'm more interested in knowing why you seem so upset." Jane placed her hand on the medical examiner's shoulders, staring down into puffy hazel eyes. "Is it me?" Maura didn't answer. _I should have known I'd be an embarrassment to her. This isn't my crowd. What were you thinking Rizzoli?_ "I'm sorry I'm not as well mannered as your high class family."

"No, Jane, honey, of course not. That's not it." The doctor rushed out.

"Then why are you crying?"

"I'm scared." Maura revealed, looking down at her hands.

The brunette's forehead creased with concern. "Scared of what, Maura?" She asked softly.

_And I don't want the world to see me,_

'_Cause I don't think that they'd understand._

"I'm scared that...that my parents won't love me anymore." Maura's voice cracked as a heart wrenching sob escaped her parted lips.

"Because you're dating a woman?" The detective questioned, receiving a positive nod for an answer. "You're being silly. Your parents love you. They wouldn't just turn around and say 'hey, my daughter's gay so I'm not gonna love her anymore'. That's not how it works, sweetie. I'm sure they'll be alright with it." She reasoned, wiping away the fresh tears that trickled down Maura's cheek.

"What if they throw us in a fire because they think we're possessed by the Devil?" Maura suddenly looked very nervous at her own farfetched fear.

Jane raised an eyebrow. "How much have you had to drink?" Shaking her head, she continued: "Okay, first of all, do you see any bonfire around? And second, your parents aren't even catholic, Maura." The brunette pointed out.

"That's beside the point. Studies show that traumatic events can completely throw someone off track, causing them to commit certain actions they normally wouldn't."

"Being gay isn't traumatic, it's not a disease. If they can't accept it, it won't be your fault. Trust me; they'll regret it in the end." Jane attempted to sooth her girlfriend by rubbing slow circles on her shaking hands with her thumbs. "I think you should just say it right now, get it out of the way."

"But, I was going to wait after diner." Maura wanted to stick to her plan. Things that were planned out and executed in order caused her less anxiety. She knew what to except, unlike her parent's reaction.

"I know, I know, Maur," Jane let her hands trail down the blond's bare arms and clasped their hands together. "But you know as well as I do that you can't lie. Just let it out, you'll fell a thousand times better, I promise."

"I don't know if I can, Jane. I'm not as brave as you are."

"That's bullshit! You're the bravest medical examiner I know." Jane sighed. This didn't seem to reassure the doctor one bit. "Remember that time you protected baby John Doe from that wacky nurse? You put yourself in harm's way, intentionally, to protect an innocent life. _That's_ who you are, Maura." After a short pause, the brunette added: "If you want to, I can tell them myself."

"No, no. It wouldn't be fair. You're the one who made the announcement to your family. I should do the same." The doctor was determined.

Jane smiled warmly at her girlfriend. "You can do this. I'll be right there with you." She said softly, squeezing Maura's hands.

"I can do this." She repeated, coaxing herself. She fixed her dress, standing straight with her chin high.

"Go get 'em tiger." Jane chuckled as she opened the door for the petite woman, motioning for her to head out.

Maura moved to step out, however she stopped herself and looked back at the brunette. "Jane?" She asked.

"Yeah?" Even though the detective asked the question, she knew, by the tone of Maura's voice, and by the large smile that reached her eyes, what the doctor wanted to say.

"Thank you." It wasn't spoken as loud as the emotions swirling in her eyes, but the brunette understood.

Jane smiled. "Anytime."

Both women sat down in their respective place; Jane eased herself out of her jacket and rolled the sleeves of her shirt while Maura looked straight at her parents, the determined expression on her face not wavering. The detective held onto one of the petite woman's hands, giving it a supportive squeeze.

"Mother, father," The doctor started, taking a deep breath. "Jane and I are in a committed, exclusive relationship. I know I should have mentioned something sooner, but believe me when I say this is only a recent development. And, I would rather announce it in person rather than over the phone." Maura prepared herself for the worst as soon as she stopped talking, squeezing the life out of Jane's hand during the few seconds of agonizing silence.

"Oh Maura, we couldn't be happier for you." Constance exclaimed.

"You are? I mean, of course they are." Jane quickly caught herself.

"So, you still love me?" The doctor asked in a tentative voice.

"Isn't that a silly question, darling? Of course we still love you. We always will."

"As long as Miss Rizzoli here treats you right and makes you happy, what more could we ask for?" Mr. Isles added, sharing a smile with the brunette.

"I'm so relieved. I was frightened." Maura pressed both of her hands against her chest, tears of happiness making her eyes shine.

"How so? Your father and I never exhibited any sort of homophobic behavior."

"I know that, mother. Fears are irrational."

"That's quite true."

"I say we celebrate this wonderful news." The doctor's father raised his glass in front of him, looking between his daughter and the brunette. "Jane, I would like to formally welcome you to our family."

"Thank you, sir." Jane and Maura shared a look that could only be described a pure happiness. The detective leaned down to kiss the doctor's forehead before the foursome clinked their glasses together.

* * *

><p>"I am sincerely happy that Maura has chosen such a wonderful young lady to be her partner. If someone deserves a loving wife, it would be my daughter." Mr. Isles and Jane were sitting on the steps, waiting for their taxi. The weather wasn't 'dress friendly', making the brunette happy that she was wearing a suit, minus the jacket, which had been slung over the blond's shoulders.<p>

Jane ignored the fact that he used to word wife, not wanting to dwell deeper on the meaning. "Why do you say that?" She questioned curiously.

"Maura," He sighed and looked down. "Well, you know her. She's rather odd and extremely socially awkward. When she was just a child, she had a very hard time making any friends." The man pulled out a thin pack of cigarettes and a lighter out of his jacket. Offering one to the detective, who refused, before lighting himself one.

"See, I don't get that. She's such a fun, loving, person. Not to mention she has the smarts of ten rocket scientists put together."

"Some people are put off by this, or jealous. Children can be very mean when they're jealous. Adults too." Mr. Isles remarked.

Jane leaned forward on her legs, looking down at the new pair of shoes that still shinned in the moonlight. "Still, I feel lucky that she even considered dating me. I always figured she'd be with someone..."

"Of the same social status." He finished for her.

"Yeah, not a blue collar, Italian-American." The brunette continued as she picked at her nails.

"Social status isn't everything. We never raised her to be vain. I believe she would have loved you the same even if you were a bum on the street." Mr. Isles reasoned, patting the woman's right shoulder.

Jane used her best French accent: "I'm sure she'd love the 'eau de garbage' on me. Or even, 'fifty shades of tuna: the fragrance'." This earned her a loud chuckle from her girlfriend's father.

"I can see why my daughter likes you. You're quite the riot." He remarked, still chuckling.

"I can see why Maura is such a wonderful person." She retorted.

"Charming." He grinned.

"I try." Her grinned matched his.

"Use these charms to deceive my daughter, and I'll see that some of your bones will...suffer damage." His attempt at scaring the brunette failed miserably, fumbling with the words in a clumsy manner.

"Nice twist on an old classic." She said.

"Was it scary? It was my first try. I never had to practice really." Mr. Isles said honestly.

"Sure, you had me shaking there." Was Jane's sarcastic reply.

"Kindly, sod off." He joked, lightly pushing the woman with his shoulder.

"Great timing, our taxi's here." The brunette retorted as she stood up, waving to Maura.

"Don't forget our diner tomorrow evening."

"Wouldn't miss it, sir." Was the last thing Jane said as she walked down the remaining steps and opened the cab door for the blond.

* * *

><p>"You're not disappointed, are you, mother?" Maura and Constance were standing on the sidewalk, patiently waiting for the doctor's taxi to arrive.<p>

"What would I be disappointed about, dear?"

Maura tightened her hold on Jane's jacket, pulling it tighter around her shoulders. _Smells like her. _"That I'm not going to marry this handsome prince charming and have children."

The art professor chuckled. "Darling, in case you haven't noticed, Jane is more handsome than any man could ever be in that suit. And you can have children, there are other methods."

"I know. I-Jane and I have yet to have a conversation about children. I mean, we're not married yet. Oh, what am I saying? We haven't even been together for a year." Maura licked her lips, shaking her head as her train of thoughts was spit out in a nervous ramble.

"Love is love, Maura. Whether it's been a few months or one hundred years. If that is what you foresee in your future with Jane, I would be glad to be a part of it all." Constance genuinely said.

Maura couldn't help the shy smile that spread across her delicate face. "I know it sounds silly, but I truly believe we're soul mates."

"When two souls are meant to find each other, it only takes a few seconds to fall in love. If your relationship with Jane is as such, you have nothing to worry about." There's nothing better than a mother's advice.

"I feel like," The petite blond took a moment too look up at the night sky. _No stars in sight._ "Nothing could go wrong. That even in the worst times, we can always count on each other and it makes me feel safe, loved even."

"That is the definition of a fulfilling relationship, my dear daughter."

"Thank you, so much." Both women shared a side hug.

Constance saw the lanky brunette waving at them from the stairs. "Go, I think a certain detective is anxious for your return."

"I love you, mother."

"I love you too, darling."

Maura walked towards her girlfriend, who opened the backdoor of the taxi vehicle for her. She gave her a quick peck before sliding in the backseat. She scooted towards the left, leaving enough space for the detective to get in. She let her head fall on the brunette's shoulder as Jane wrapped her arm around her. Maura had an odd feeling she had jinxed them. _You're not the superstitious type, _she thought to herself as she nuzzled Jane's neck.

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><p><strong>*It translates to "You're beautiful.", in Italian. <strong>

**Leave your awesome reviews, as always, you know you want to. ;)**


	8. Made of Stone

**A/N: Thank you to the person who pointed out my extremely retarded Euro/Pound mistake. You see, I'm Italian. The only place in Europe I have ever visited was Italy. So when I think of Europe, the currency that automatically pops into my head is Euros. Anyhow, here's another itty bitty chapter. I felt like we never see our heroines deal with the aftermath of their cases. Especially Jane after she has to shoot someone. Like that shit must be traumatic, y'know? So I gave birth to this.  
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**Have fun reading, thank you all for your reviews, once again, much love. :)  
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><p>An intoxicated Jane Rizzoli came crashing through the front door of her home. The woman had planned to sneak into the house like a silent assassin. However, she happened to trip over her own feet and lurched forward in order to grab the door, one hand on the door knob, preventing her from any face planting incident, kinda. Like most drunken stumbles, as I'm sure you all know, they don't quite go as smoothly as you would want them to. You put your energy into doing one movement, when all of a sudden your other limb doesn't agree with its sibling and you end up in a position that makes you look like you're having a dance off with yourself.<p>

In this case, the brunette's hand, that had been clutching to the door knob, slipped and the door creaked open slightly. She began to fall forward, without a warning like a misplaced object bordering the edge of a table. The detective desperately tried to catch herself and grab onto anything that was more stable than herself, which was easy considering her current state. She hit her head against the door in the most ungraceful manner, making it open wider. Her left hand quickly grabbed at the door frame, preventing further cerebral damage. _Dammit, hope I didn't wake Maura up._

Another thought crossed Jane's mind as she fought with her jacket pocket, wondering why it wouldn't give her, her house keys. "Just...fuckin'...there." Victoriously, the woman pulled her set of keys from the pocket and hung them on the small hooks installed in the entrance for that purpose. _Why wasn't the door locked? _If the brunette wasn't a drink away from a self induced coma, she could have easily came to the conclusion that she was in trouble.

"Where have you been, Jane? I was worried sick." It wasn't a complete lie; Maura had gotten accustomed to her girlfriend's nightly outings. Though, she still worried that she would get a call in the middle of the night informing her that Jane had been in a bar brawl, or worst, that she had been hospitalized. The woman hadn't been the same since they came back from their vacation.

Jane pressed her palms against the wall as she kicked her boots off. "Dirty Robber, Frost was there and-" She slurred as she advanced in the dimly light kitchen, where Maura was standing.

"I called him; he informed me that he left around eleven o'clock." The doctor crossed her arms over her chest. Jane didn't seem to comprehend her accusations, so she continued: "It's nearly two in the morning, Jane." She said a little more forcefully.

"I was, at the Robber." Jane repeated unevenly, using the island counter to keep herself steady.

Maura didn't believe her. She wanted to trust her words, but something kept her from doing so. Something, actually, everything, in the brunette's behavior for the past month hinted what the petite doctor could only assume was how a person acted when they were having an affair. "I hope you didn't drive in this state." She commented flatly. Of course, she didn't have any evidence to base this assumption on; it was more of a gut feeling. Maura didn't rely on her gut, so she would have to call the bartender at the Dirty Robber to make sure Jane wasn't lying to her.

"Taxi, brought me home." She explained, walking closer towards the blond woman. In a daze, unaware of her girlfriend's accusations, Jane moved around the island, one of her hand gliding against the counter to balance herself. She wrapped one of arms around Maura's waist and leaned in for a kiss.

The only reason the doctor had let an intoxicated Jane kiss her was to see if she tasted like someone else than Jack Daniels. It seemed to go in the detective's favor as the only taste she could detect was the strong Tennessee Whiskey. She smelled the collar of her shirt, trying to see if she could smell a perfume that wasn't Jane's, or hers. _Nothing. Maybe she was telling the truth._ _Although, the strong smell of alcohol could mask a delicate perfume_. When Jane seemed to be getting a little too grabby, Maura place a hand on her chest, gently pushing her away.

"C'mon, Maur." She leaned forward once again, but this time she was stopped as the doctor's hand pushed her back. "Don't be a tease." Jane stupidly said.

If it would have been anyone else but Jane in front of the blond, she would have slapped them hard enough to knock some sense into them. "You're drunk." Maura uselessly pointed out, using this excuse to move away from the brunette and turn away from her.

"Do you even want me anymore?" When her girlfriend remained silent, Jane assumed the worst. "Are you breaking up with me?" This question sobered the woman up more than she would have liked.

"Those aren't my intentions," After what seemed like a long pause, Maura added: "But things need to change."

"What are you talking about, baby?" Jane's hand reached out to Maura's shoulder. The contact was quickly, almost impatiently, shrugged off.

"We're not having this conversation when you're intoxicated." The doctor stated simply, making no effort to move.

"Maura, please." The detective's tone was desperate, pleading, as she reached out to the petite woman once more.

"We should go to bed, it's late." Maura replied coldly as she walked into their bedroom, leaving the door opened behind her. A part of her wanted to lock the brunette out, force her to sleep on the couch. The other part, however, couldn't sleep without Jane's warm body next to hers. That was one of the reasons why the woman waited for Jane's arrival every night.

Even a drunk Jane knew better than to argue with the doctor. She let it go and followed her girlfriend in the bedroom, sitting on the edge of the bed to take off her clothes. The buttons on her shirt didn't seem to cooperate and she wondered why she hadn't just worn a t-shirt instead. As she began to furiously fumble with the buttons, she felt two calm and steady hands over hers. Looking up, she saw that Maura was staring down at her, not with an amused smile, not with a warm one, but with an emotionless expression.

Maura unbuttoned the shirt with ease, helping the brunette out of it as she finished. She stayed there, between Jane's legs, letting the garment pool at their feet. She quickly got lost into deep chocolate brown eyes and failed to notice that the brunette had wrapped both of her arms around her waist, trapping her in this position. The doctor set her hands on both of Jane's naked shoulders, feeling the muscles twitch underneath her finger tips. She broke the eye contact, dipping her head down to watch the rise and fall of their chest pressing against one another. _I need her so much, but not in this state. Not when she's like this. _Maura placed her hand behind the detective's head, kissing the woman's temple. "Good night, love." With all her willpower, she untangled herself from the brunette, instantly craving the contact, just as much as she missed making love to the Jane.

The honey-blond moved to her side of the bed and crawled underneath the sheets. A few moments passed before she felt the mattress shift, a warm body pressing against her back and a lanky arm snaking itself around her waist, pulling her further into the embrace. Maura could smell the strong alcohol coming off from the detective like a toxic fume, but it didn't bother her. She was here now, finally. _What kind of relationship is this turning into? _She thought, as silent tears rolled down her cheeks.

It was selfish of her; she was brilliant enough to figure this out on her own. Their non-existent sex life brought Maura to think it was the only reason she craved any small physical contact with the woman, even if it was in a negative way. Everything seemed like rainbows and unicorns when they were in England; however, as they arrived home, Jane started to pull away. She was distant; always staying at work late, getting a drink afterwards and coming back home unmistakably drunk. Was Jane still in love with her? Sure, they both still acted like a couple. The brunette would always get anything Maura asked for, help her with the dishes and other things that people do when they're whipped. Yet, it didn't seem natural; it seemed forced, robotic even.

_Maybe Jane's simply staying with me as to not alarm her mother with a sudden break-up. Maybe she doesn't care enough about me to even acknowledge a break-up. _These were the kind of solemn thoughts the doctor couldn't stop from haunting her, challenging her, bringing her down. _This needs to change, I need to do something. We can't keep hurting each other like this. _Neither of our two crime fighting heroes received the benefits of a good night's sleep.

The next morning, Maura was standing in the kitchen, brewing herself, and Jane, a cup of Macchiato. Even though the detective had bought the instant coffee version of Starbucks' famous caffeinated drink, Maura refused to use them, even if it was to see the difference between the two. She knew, of course, that the one she brews herself tastes fresher and stronger than its time saving counterpart. Despite the fact that her demeanor wasn't as bubbly as usual, she couldn't help reminiscing on one positive memory in particular. _Psychologists say that happy memories can help uplift someone's sour mood. Like that one time Jane brought me to the firing range and had me practice shooting with her nine millimeter handgun. The way she forced herself not to laugh as I shot all around the target and even took her time to give me useful tips on how to aim was just...adorable._

Jane woke up to a banging headache, a dry mouth, not to mention the unpleasant taste, and an empty bed. She rubbed her face, sighing deeply as she turned on her side. The detective closed her eyes for a second, waking up a second time as she heard the cupboards in the kitchen close with a clunk. She stretched her arms in front of her, letting them dangle from the edge of a bed for a few seconds before she stripped the covers from her body and stood up. She picked up a discarded pair of Jeans and slipped them on.

Jane rubbed her eyes as she slowly made her way into the kitchen. What she saw made her smile for the first time in what felt like a century. Maura was sitting down, nestling a cup of coffee in her hands. She was looking in front of her, smiling. There was a second cup of caffeine, which had been strategically placed in front of the doctor. Two small, extra strength Tylenol's had also been perfectly laid out beside the mug.

The detective took the seat in front of the honey-blond, popping both pills in her mouth and taking a small sip of the warm coffee to chase the chalkiness down. "What are ya smiling at?" She asked, her own smile making her cheeks hurt. She almost forgot what it felt like.

Maura's smile faded, her face growing somber as reality hit her like unexpectedly hitting your face on the corner of a wall. "Jane, I need to know," The anxious woman paused, looking straight down at the swirling dark brow liquid in her cup. "Are you cheating?" She quickly asked.

"Are you serious?" Jane's expression darkened as she could clearly see that the doctor wasn't lying. _So that's what the conversation last night was about. _She wasn't sure if she had dreamed it seeing how the memory was fuzzy. "I see how much your trust me." She replied bitterly. Standing up, she rubbed one hand over her mouth and down to her chin.

_This is going to be trickier than I had expected. I need to stay focused on her reactions, her body language. If she's lying, I need to see it. _"Jane, don't take it like that." The medical examiner pleaded.

"Well _how_ am I supposed to_ take_ it, Maur?" Jane raised her voice, one hand on her hip, the other flailing around angrily.

"Will you please, for our relationship's sake, answer the question?" Maura questioned slowly, calmly. The blond was very well aware of Jane's defensive nature. She knew how to play it to prevent her from erupting into a volcano.

"I thought we had something mutual." The detective horsed as she picked up her Mark Jacobs leather jacket, roughly putting it on. "Guess I was wrong." She added, her steps heavy as she made her way towards the front door. She stopped with her hand on the door knob, however, as Maura's rarely angered voice boomed in the otherwise quiet house.

"Would you, for one second, just hear me out!?" The doctor said harshly as she too, stood up in a fit of anger. _You know you have to keep your emotions in check if you want Jane to open up, calm yourself doctor. _She sighed, crossing her arms over her chest as she took a deep breath. "These walls you build up Jane, I can't keep trying to take them down alone."

"What do you mean?" The detective asked. She stood in front of the door, her back to Maura, frozen in place.

Maura walked around the Island as she spoke. "Ever since we came back from our vacation, you haven't been the same. If you're not working overtime, you're out drinking and coming home late. We hardly ever do anything together, as a couple. I think you can see where my suspicions are coming from." She placed her hand on her girlfriend's leather-clad arm in a silent request towards the tall brunette. "I trust you Jane, I trust you with my life. I just-we haven't made love in over a month, I can't help but wonder if-"

Jane kept her head down, her dark curls hiding her pained expression. She knew very well what she had been hiding from the doctor, what she'd rather drown in alcohol instead of actually resolving. "I'm sorry, Maura. I'm so, so sorry." She whispered. Whatever walls she worked so hard on building up, crumbled down around her without a warning. She let her forehead rest against the door as warm, salty tears relentlessly trailed down her cheeks, dripping from her chin and ending their short route onto the woman's boots with a finishing splash.

"Jane," The doctor breathed. She gripped both of the brunette's wrists, forcing her to turn around.

The detective kept her head down, unable to show how vulnerable she was. How weak she had become. She leaned down; resting her creased forehead against Maura's soft, inviting shoulder.

"What are you sorry for?" Maura fully wrapped both of her arms around Jane's shaking shoulders, drawing the woman in closer. Although uncertain about Jane's actions, her heart was breaking for her. The doctor had never seen her in such a fragile state. This wasn't the Jane Rizzoli she knew, the woman she fell in love with.

Jane couldn't utter a word as violent sobs shook her whole body, making standing up an excruciating task. Before she, or Maura, could do anything about it, the Italian's knees touched the cold floor.

The petite woman that was holding her found herself in a mirrored position, soothingly rubbing large circles on Jane's back with one of her hands. She rested the other hand behind her head, delicately threading her fingers in soft, dark curls. Maura had to push any negative assumptions out of her head in order to give Jane her full attention. God knows she would forgive her for anything. _A wise poet once said "He who cannot forgive breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass"._ Whatever Jane did could be forgiven, yet she would have a lot to make up for. _No relationship can fully develop and grow on shaky grounds. Trust is important._

Everything that Jane had been chugging down, bottling up and calling it a night was now freely flowing like a newly opened champagne bottle. Let's just say, if she had a cork, it would have popped louder than a nuclear blast. The brunette tightly wrapped her arms around her girlfriend's back, feeling the slight rocking motion Maura had began.

Both women hadn't realized how long they have been stuck in this same position until Maura chanced a glance at her wrist watch. _Jane's been crying for almost an hour now. She must be getting really-_

"I'm thirsty." The first words spoken out of Jane's mouth were grave, like she had just woken up from a year long slumber.

Maura's voice wasn't has rugged as Jane's, though it was thick with emotion. _"_An excessive amount of crying over a long period of time without ingesting water can dehydrate you quite easily_._" Maura verbalized her thoughts as she slowly untangled her arms from the brunette's shoulders; both of them slowly standing up. The petite blonde walked to sink, filling a glass with cold water and ice.

Jane finally peeled off her jacket, throwing it on the counter as she took a seat on one of the stools. She sniffled, wiping the almost dried tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand.

"Drink this." Maura handed the broken detective a cool class of water. She stood at the woman's side, watching her intently. However, she didn't press any questions right away. Jane would open up on her own time and according to the blond, the look on her face was indicative she was about to explain herself soon.

The refreshing liquid was gulped down faster than Giovanni can down a beer. "Thank you." Jane said in a whisper. she set it down on the counter, the two ice cubes stuck together at the bottom of the now empty glass. "I..." She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, licking her bottom lip before she started speaking again. "That night he was keeping you hostage," Chocolate brown eyes slowly looked up into a pair of hazel ones, looking for some sort of nod of approval before continuing.

The doctor nodded slowly, rubbing her hands together as she remembered how terrified she had been when he closed her off in the wall. She released the breath she hadn't realize she had been holding in. _So that's what's been haunting her. Why didn't she tell me sooner? _

"There was...there was a woman sitting on a chair. I couldn't, see. It was dark. She looked like you, I mean, I thought she looked like you. It was dark." Jane repeated her voice uneven. She looked down at her lap, playing with her fingers. "He shot her, in front of me, Maura. Made me believe it was you." She paused, running her slender fingers on her scared hand.

Maura's eye softened with realization. _The shot I heard, the dead woman. They never mentioned what had happened. _She snaked her arm around Jane's shoulder, giving them an encouraging squeeze.

"I went...ape shit, Maur, punched in his face until it couldn't be recognized as a face." Jane aimlessly rubbed her completely healed knuckles. She closed her eyes, tightening her jaw as she sucked in a shaky breath. "I'm just as bad as him, as every deranged fucker I ever arrested."

Maura placed her hand under Jane's chin, softly lifting it up so she could meet her gaze. "How can you say that, Jane? You acted out of pure rage and grief. You don't thrive on torturing innocents. You're not like them. You're _nothing_ like them."

"Yes, I am." The detective hissed dangerously. "I _wanted _to hurt him; I _wanted_ to be the one causing him the worst pain he ever felt." She confessed, clenching her hands into fists.

"Understandable considering what you-"

Jane shrugged away from her girlfriend's touch. "No, Maura. Don't you get it? I killed another human being out of pleasure. I like how he kept struggling under me, knowing that he'd never win, that only one of us would leave alive."

"Jane...Whatever you did, whatever happened, you can't compare the way you reacted to the state of psychosis that serial killers experience. You went through a very traumatic event, its completely normal to-" Once again, the petite blond was cut off by an agitated detective.

"Normal? I'm sick, Maura, I'm sick. I can't even stand myself sober. If I don't drink, the only thing I can think about is shoving my gun in my mouth and pulling the trigger." Jane felt a sting on her left cheek as soon as the words came out of her mouth.

"Don't you dare speak like that, ever again!" Maura yelled, the slow throbbing pain in the palm of her hand only registering when as she slowed down her breathing. "I'm sorry, Jane, I..."

"Its fine, I deserved it." The brunette turned away from Maura's shocked stare, lightly rubbing the sore spot on her cheek.

The slap surprised them both, but Maura's next question surprised them further. "Are you still in love with me?"

"How can you ask me that, Maura?" When she didn't answer, Jane continued. "There's not a word that can describe how much I adore you. I live because of you." She said, her eyes searching for Maura's.

"Then will you please see a consultant? If you love me, fix yourself Jane. Be the damsel in distress for once and accept the help." She was faced with Jane's skeptical stare. "If you won't do it for yourself, at least do it for me."

"I'd do anything for you." It was both a statement and an agreement. Jane stood up as the honey-blond enveloped her in a tight hug. She reciprocated the gesture, squeezing the woman as if her life depended on it.

The doctor hid her face in Jane's neck, smiling against the olive skin. "I love you Jane, so much." She said, kissing the flesh grazing her lips.

"I love you too Maura. I love you too." Jane repeated. The tightness and burning in her chest melted away in the hug, letting a warm, cozy feeling take its place.

* * *

><p>Jane found herself in the office of BPD's personal consultant a day after her conversation with her girlfriend. Maura felt she might have pushed her too much, but the brunette reassured her she needed to have this consultation as soon as it was humanly possible.<p>

The office had a very warm, homey feel to it. The desk was bulky and sat against the left wall, far in the corner. There was a small window behind the luxurious leather studded chair. The rest of the far wall was entirely covered with books of all sorts. There was a leather love seat, which matched the dark brown of the chair on the opposite wall. A twin of the love seat, replicated to sit a single occupant, was placed directly in front of it.

"Detective Jane Rizzoli," Doctor Barbara Fowler looked surprised to see the lanky detective enter her office. Sure she had an appointment, but the last time someone took the liberty of doing so for the brunette, she hadn't shown up. "How much are they paying you to be here?" The psychiatrist asked with a teasing tone.

Jane had met the women on several occasions. Each exchange ending in the same way: Dr. Fowler handed Jane her card and as soon as she was out of sight,she monotonously threw in the garbage. "I came here on my own, like a big girl." She retorted sarcastically, sitting in the middle of the love seat. "Well, that's half true."She readjusted both sides of her open leather jacket, parting her legs in a manly stance. She leaned forward, her wrists resting on her knees, dangling over the edge.

Dr. Fowler stood up from her gigantic throne of a chair, making her way towards the brunette. "I'm guessing the other half is Doctor Maura Isles, am I correct?" She said, taking a seat in front of the other woman. Barbara was Jane's elder by a few years. Her hair was long, light brown and sitting in a loose bun behind her head. She was dressed in an elegant grey pantsuit with a black, silky, undershirt. Black rimmed glasses fell on a slightly curved, but small nose.

Jane frowned at the implication. "How do you...?" Her eyes fell on the header of a news paper article which the doctor was holding up. There was a candid picture of Jane and Maura hugging each other after the rescue, surrounded by officers. The title read: "Lover's reunion?" In big, black, bold letters. "Nothing's a secret these days." She said somewhat bitterly.

"Private lives of celebrities and heroes are very open to the public, yes." The psychiatrist confirmed, folding the newspaper neatly and setting it on the ground beside her crossed legs.

"Right, I'll make sure to close the blinds before I get in the shower butt naked." She joked.

"Wise indeed, detective." Dr. Fowler leaned back in her chair, her notepad resting against her thigh, her other hand holding a fancy looking pen with gold accents. "So, I'm fairly sure you aren't here for tea and cookies. How are you coping with last month's...event?" She asked carefully, readjusting the glasses on her face.

_Does every doctor sound the same? _"Good...until I-" A pause. "Until we, came home." Jane replied, nervously fiddling with her fingers as she stared at the doctor's notepad. She had never talked to anyone else but her family and friend about her personal problems. Talking with a professional made it seem...real. She always thought people who seek out the help of consultants were desperate. _They maybe look desperate, but they sure don't look like the mess you are right now, Rizzoli. _ Dark circles stained the usual olive skin color under her eyes. Self medicating with Whiskey never solved and never will solve anything.

"Describe to me what feelings surged during that specific time."

Jane licked her lips nervously before answering. She explained everything she had told Maura. The gruesome details didn't seem to chock Barbara. She must have heard her share of gritty murder stories from her badge-clad clientele. Halfway through the hour, the detective had taken off her jacket, laying it on the empty spot beside her as she leaned back in a more relaxed and comfortable position.

The psychiatrist didn't miss a beat after Jane's explanation, giving her an answer as if she had known all along. "Seems to me like your brain is using the same defensive coping mechanism it would have used if Dr. Isles would have, in fact, perished. Because the event changed dramatically, in such a short period of time, your brain is treating her survival like a death."

"You're sayin'...my brain is making me think she's dead?" The detective asked incredulously.

"In other words, you're living the emotions of someone in a depression fueled by grief."

"Hold up here a second," Jane held up both of her hands in the air, both silently and verbally asking for a time out. She leaned forward again. "I'm _depressed_ now?"

"This is what I'm seeing, yes." Dr. Fowler cleared her throat, shooting the tall woman a warming look. She was quite accustomed to detectives becoming aggressive, but it was her first time seeing this aggression in a woman. "Because you were so overwhelmed with grief and anger when confronting the suspect, this-let's call it a fake reality- anchored itself in your brain as if it actually happened."

Jane snorted. "Sounds like a Tom Cruise movie synopsis to me."

Barbara ignored the comment. "Can you describe your interactions with Miss Isles during this past month?"

Jane shrugged, leaning back into the comfortable love seat, crossing her arms over her chest. "We kept our routines: we still slept in the same bed, went to lunch," She uncrossed her arms, playing with the hem of her Led Zeppelin t-shirt, pondering if she should share the memory swirling in her mind. "I always go down to the morgue, even if she didn't find anything specifically related to the case, bring her a coffee, a snack, kiss her goodbye and carry on with my work." The detective shared with a small smile.

"Would you say you did this out of habit?"

"Yeah, absolutely."

"Your actions were robotic, then?"

"You could say that."

"I see." Dr. Fowler stared at Jane for a second before scribbling down something on the paper.

The Italian looked at the notepad with curiosity. "Care to share?"

"We humans have emotions, some very strong, some very weak. These are manly stored in the left hemisphere of the brain, more specifically in what we call the limbic system." The woman said as she finished writing, smiling to herself at Jane's impatient nature. "When this system is either damaged by an accident or a traumatic event, the chemicals change. Sometimes the emotions are heightened, but this is very rare. In your case, detective, your emotions were toned down, almost numbed."

"I'm doing this to Maura?"

"Unconsciously. Your body is reacting like it normally would around your partner, while your emotions are almost nonexistent. They're both battling for dominance, confusing your thoughts and your reactions. Doubts come in, then suicidal thoughts. That is why you find solace in alcohol. It numbs everything, even the constant battle between the two realities."

"How do I fix it?" She asked after a long pause.

"I wouldn't say 'fixing' is the proper term. We simply have to increase the chemicals which fuel your emotions. Re-wire them to execute the job they have been doing all your life."

"And how exactly do we do that? Hook me up to machine and that's gonna zap me?" The brunette half-joked, though she knew nothing of this procedure, if it actually worked and if it was still used. _If Maura would be here, she'd make it her pleasure to explain it to us in great, unnecessary detail. _

The woman chuckled softly, leaning forward. "Nothing quite as drastic, detective. I think anti-depressants will suffice."

"All the horrible murders I've witnessed during my time as a patrol officer and a detective...What plunged me into a depression was my own crime." She said with a shake of her head, smiling bitterly. _How fuckin' ironic, you dumbass._

"What you did, cannot be categorized as a crime or a murder, detective."

"I know, I know. 'Self defence' and all." Jane replied, using air quotes while she rolled her eyes at the term.

"You don't believe it was?" The psychiatrist questioned curiously.

"It was revenge. Pure and simple."

"It was a little bit of both. Regardless, you are not a murder and you certainly aren't a crazy psychopath."

"Really? Cause I sure feel like one." Jane replied with fake enthusiasm.

"Jane, if I may call you that," The woman paused, waiting for a nod of approval, which she received. "I can't force you to think positively of yourself, but what I can say is you save a lot of lives doing what you do. Innocents will always be, unfortunately, caught in the crossfire. You don't know all the good you're doing, detective."

"I think I liked it better when you called me Jane." She joked with a grin.

"Your Lieutenant wasn't joking when he said your first language was sarcasm." The doctor remarked as she scribbled the name of the anti-depressants she felt would work best with the mouthy brunette.

"Well, he always did walk, a little, stuck up." Jane stood up, walking without moving her backside, making sure not to flex her knees as she mocked her superior.

Dr. Fowler stifled her laughter behind her hand. She ripped the small prescription paper and extended it towards the goofy brunette. "Here's your prescription. Shall we schedule another consultation, detective?"

"As long as you call me Jane from now on." She teased as she grabbed the piece of paper from the woman's hand. Janee looked at it, rocking back and forth on her heels. She frowned, trying to make up what was written. _Maur can figure it out._ She folded it and stuffed in her jacket pocket.

"Alright, Jane. I suggest we see each other three times a week and follow your progress with the medication." The psychiatrist stood up also and set her notepad and pen on the corner of her desk "How does next Saturday, at noon, sound?"

"Like a lunch date. Don't worry, I won't tell Maura." The detective joked, playfully nudging the doctor's shoulder. No harm in flirting right? _Unless there is harm. No harm here, no harm at all. _

She smiled. "Have a good day, Jane." _This woman keeps hiding her sorrow with humor. At least, it's a somewhat healthy practice. _

"Right back at ya, Dr. Fowler."

"You make a fuss about me calling you by your first name, yet you refer to me by my professional title?"

Jane smirked. "That's 'cause I'm classy, doctor." With that said, she stepped out of the office quickly, not letting room for any retort.

* * *

><p>The detective stepped inside their house. <em>Our house. That makes us sound like we're married.<em>Jane looked and felt exhausted. The blond wasn't anywhere in sight. Bass was languidly crossing the path from the living room to the kitchen. He stopped in his tracks, turning his head towards Jane, one of his tiny front leg in mid air. He then let his stumpy leg touch the ground and turned his body, heading towards the brunette.

"Hey, bud, don't strain yourself there." Chuckling to herself, the detective crouched down and gently patted Bass's tiny head. "Where's your mommy, hmm?" The tortoise remained unresponsive. "Well you're a big help."

Jane sighed. She stood up, threw her jacket on the back of the couch as she slowly walked into the hallway. _Maura's car is in the driveway._ _She wouldn't have wondered off very far without her car._ As the detective approached their bedroom, she could hear ruffling noises and two...wait, three different voices. She yanked the door open. "What the hell...is going on here?" Her question fell flat as her worried gaze faltered over the three occupants in her bedroom. "Ma? Frankie?" She asked in a high pitched tone. "The hell are you all doing in _my_ bedroom...with _my_ girlfriend?" She asked in the same tone, raising a questioning brow.

"Well, we heard you come in so-" The police officer started and was cut off by an annoyed detective.

"So you decided to play hide and seek in _my_ bedroom? Wait, _why_ are you all hiding from me to _begin _with?" Jane frowned as she crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at each one of them equally. We wouldn't want one of them to feel excluded right?

Angela ran into her daughter, wrapping both her arms around the brunette, trapping her arms at her side. "Oh my baby, we just want you to be happy. I'm such a horrible, horrible mother."

"Maur, did you bake them _weed_ brownies?" The disgruntled brunette hissed.

"Absolutely not." The doctor replied with a frown, slightly offended by that accusation.

"My only daughter was depressed and I couldn't even see it." Angela hadn't let go of the taller woman as she kept chastising herself. Frankie joined in the hug after some coaxing from his mother.

_I see that guilty face..."Really_, Maura, _really_?" Jane groaned as her older sibling joined the hug. She managed to untangle her arms from the crushing embrace and pointed a finger at her mother. "How does she-" Her accusing finger then changed directions and landed on a pouting doctor. "How do _you_ even know?"

"Dr. Fowler called to inform me I should pick up your prescription today." Maura said in an innocent voice, pursing her lips together.

"That doesn't explain to me why- Okay, you two, you can stop with the hugging now." The brunette growled. Both her mother and her brother took a step back with sheepish grins on their faces. "You told them?" She finished, smoothing out the creased on her shirt created by the sudden assault.

Maura quickly stepped in front of her girlfriend, taking both of her hands in her own. "Honey, I didn't mean to. Frankie and your mother came by to visit and they asked where you were and..."

"You couldn't lie, yeah I know." Jane finished the sentence for her, sighing as she looked down at their joined hands.

"I'm sorry." Maura whispered, giving the woman a small, almost shy, apologetic smile.

"It's fine." Jane whispered back, snaking both of her lanky arms around the doctor's petite frame.

Maura placed one of her hands on the taller woman's cheek, gazing into a pair of deep brown eyes. "How did it go?" She let her hand fall onto Jane's shoulder, linking her fingers behind the woman's dark locks.

"Alright. Better than I thought it was gonna be." The detective revealed.

"I'm glad."

"Yeah, aren't you just _glad_ you have a depressed detective for a girlfriend?" Jane asked sarcastically.

"Jane..." Maura whispered sadly. "We both...made mistakes, but I want you to know that I'm here for you, every step of the way."

Frankie spoke up: "Me too, Janie. Anythin' you need, you just ask your big brother."

Jane stared at the officer with a fake, over-exaggerated smile. She then turned to the doctor, with the same facial expression. "Yeah, thanks, Maura." She lowered her voice dangerously.

"I'll go get your pills." Was the first thing that crossed Maura's mind in order to escape Jane's impending moodiness. She moved her hands behind her own back and placed them onto Jane's hands. She gave them a slight squeeze, excusing herself from the predicament she put her girlfriend in. She moved the detective's hands away from her waist so she could head into the living room and grab both her keys and her purse.

"Aren't you forgetting somethin', Maur?" Jane called out, holding up Dr. Fowler's prescription paper. She smirked as the woman stopped and turned around slowly. The detective took a few long strides towards the living room.

"Oh right. Of course." The petite blond chuckled nervously, meeting Jane halfway. She plucked the piece of paper from the woman's fingers and folded it into her purse. She mouthed 'I'm sorry' with a frown as she leaned in to kiss the taller woman. "Have fun." Maura said cheerily, lightly tapping Jane's cheek before exiting the house, successfully this time.

The brunette closed the door and rolled her eyes. She took a deep breath and turned around, clapping her hands together as she smiled at her family members. "Like, oh, my, God, guys. We are going to have _so_ much fun." She said with her best Paris Hilton impression.

* * *

><p><strong><strong>Also just putting it out there, anyone see a wedding approaching? Too soon...? Yes, no? <strong>**


	9. An apple a day

**A/N: Alright, here we are FINALLY. So I'm reducing the chapter length quite drastically as I find it takes too much out of me to write 6-7k chapters. I'm the kind of person who has to do it in one shot, or I won't ever touch it again. Hope you like it regardless of length, I've wanted to explore the depressed Jane a bit more, and with shorter chapters, I find, the story will flow more.**

**Ignore retarded mistakes, I shall proof read after class.  
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* * *

><p>Sweat dripped from a creased forehead, trailing down high cheek bones, down a square jaw and continued along a strong, slender neck. It mixed with the rest of the thin sheath of salty perspiration that covered the tall, lanky, muscular body. Breath hitched with every relentless, fervent motion. Her throat burned from the intensity of the physical action.<p>

Jane leaned forward; the burning muscles in her arms didn't show any signs of renunciation as they flexed again and again. The combination of strong biceps, developed triceps and rippling forearms gave her the right amount of force as she shifted her weight from her right foot to her left, sending a powerful right hook into the synthetic material of the punching bag.

The brunette was currently in Maura's garage, hammering down punches like heavy rain, following the heavy riffs from Slipknot's "Heretic Anthem". Her knuckles were carefully and tightly taped to prevent any damage to the delicate skin. This particular training equipment was a new, and temporary, addition to the detective's workout routine. The petite doctor wasn't very fond of having a very sweaty brunette hitting a bag in close proximity to her Mercedes.

_She didn't particularly love the idea, but where else am I gonna do it? Unless there's a secret wing to this house that I didn't know about, this is the best I can do...for now._

Jane blew air on her top lip, causing the sweat that had pooled around the soft skin to splash in front of her, coating the punching bag. Her fist slammed into the same spot. The sweat, once more, spread on nearby surfaces.

The detective had been taking her antidepressants regularly for two weeks now, or as Maura would put it: _Her_ _serotonin reuptake inhibitors_. She could slowly start to feel herself becoming...herself, again. Her girlfriend banned anything that had a drop of alcohol in it, even those little yummy chocolates with Brandy. You know the ones. Nazism? Sorta, but Jane knew if she wanted to get better, she couldn't afford to get sucked back into old habits.

"_How are you feeling today, detective?" Dr. Fowler asked from her usual chair. Her legs were crossed and exposed from the knee down, due to the skirt's length. _

"_Shit, crap, dirt, garbage." Jane admitted. She sat legs spread, arms crossed over her chest, while looking down at the empty void between her two feet, which is, in itself, a subconscious reconstruction of the emptiness she feels in her chest._

"_Would you be comfortable elaborating this feeling?"_

"_I have a trouble sleeping." She replied, her stare not shifting away from the spot on the ground._

"_This is very common in patients who suffer from depression. I would prescribe you sleeping aids; however, they might interfere with the pills you're currently taking. I can suggest establishing a routine before going to bed and doing so at the same hour every night, even on weekends."_

"_We don't get much weekends."_

"_I understand that. In your line of work, regular work schedules are..."_

"_Non-existent." Jane finished with a half smile_

_Barbara nodded with a knowing smile before looking down at her note pad. She shifted in her seat, leaning forward slightly as she gazed up at her patient. "Let me repeat myself, how are you feeling, emotion wise?"_

"_Maura's been real supportive. I mean, I'm lucky to have someone who'd put up with me on a regular basis, y'know?" Jane looked up at the doctor for the first time, their eyes locked. She could see the genuine compassion in the woman's stare. It made her feel comfortable. "I feel like...like the only thing I see is a dark hole, like it's slowly closing in on me. I feel like it's suffocating me, and it makes me...anxious, in a way."_

"_And how do you usually cope with this?"_

_The detective leaned back on the couch, draping an arm over the back and crossing one of her legs, ankle resting on her knee. "I drink. I used to. It lessened the feeling, even if it was just for a few hours. I could breathe again." She didn't feel embarrassed, mostly because she knew, or felt like, Barbara wouldn't judge her no matter what she said._

"_This 'darkness' you speak of, I think it's your depression as a whole, weighing down on you, both physically and mentally. Think of it as a black cloud, rain just waiting to poor down." Barbara looked down at her lap, willing her eyes to deviate from the gorgeous brunette. "What you need is an umbrella. Not to hide and ignore the cloud, but to shield yourself from the rain until it leaves." She nervously tapped the end of her pen against the paper._

"_Isn't that what the crazy pills are supposed to do?" She asked with a hit of sarcasm._

"_In a way, they do and they don't." Dr. Fowler paused, moving the hair that had fallen in front of her glasses. "When you threat a wound, you wouldn't simply wash it and hope it heals perfectly on its own."_

"_You cover it up to prevent it from getting an infection. I'm starting to get the hang of these metaphors." Jane grinned as the woman smiled at her. _

_Barbara nodded once and smiled slightly. "The more chances you have on your side, the more successful, and rapid, your recovery will be." She deepened. _

"_What are you suggesting, doc?"_

"_Surround yourself with things you love. Occupy your mind with things you like."_

"_I could...spend more time with Maura."_

"_What I'm saying, detective, is you should do things that **you** like. You're a very selfless individual. It's a great trait to have, but you're forgetting about yourself. Take time on your own, find yourself again. Find Jane Rizzoli."_

_Jane shrugged. "I like...being active." She never really thought about the things she enjoyed doing, her time otherwise spent trying to please everyone around her._

"_Great, let's start there." Dr. Fowler said with a smile, leaning back in her chair._

_Great_, _let's start there_, Jane thought. Her therapists' words hung in her mind at the memory of her last session.

The unrelenting drums and guitar riffs came to an abrupt end, pitching the room into a cold silence. She stopped the well tenderized bag from swaying and rested her forehead against it.

A few minutes passed, salty drops of water dripped down the brunette's chin, wetting the toes of her running shoes. _Déjà-vue anyone? _The brunette thought as she pushed herself off of the bag, throwing a towel around her shoulders and gulping the rest of the refreshing water that remained in the bottle.

She aimlessly threw the empty bottle in the garbage can. _She shoots, she scores! _The detective then worked on ripping off the hand tape, rolling it into a small ball then throwing it over her shoulder. She pumped her fist in the air as it ricocheted on the inside of the nearly empty metallic can, falling into the bottom with a small thud. _Rizzoli wins the game with a three pointer! _She put both of her fists in the air, doing a full 360 turn, only to stumble onto one of Maura's misplaced rollerblades in the process.

Chuckling, Jane used both corners of the towel to wipe off the quickly drying sweat from her face and neck. She ducked underneath the partially opened sectional door, crossing the fairly sized courtyard in just a few long strides. The detective silently entered the house as to not wake a sleeping doctor, seeing as she had decided to wake up at the shit crack of dawn.

Jane tip toed her way into the kitchen; much like an evil cartoon thief would, silently creeping around the counters, stopping when she reached the right cupboard. She looked to her left, then to her right, before opening the door slowly. Reaching up with an eager hand, her fingers wiggled like she was about to get her hands on a pot of gold. _Commonly referred as 'pills', for those of you who are sane human beings._

Jane set the prescribed medication on the counter before venturing out to find the golden syrup to her gold nuggets. Back against the counter, hands extended on either side of her, she crossed her legs one over the other as she stealthy slid to her left, eyebrow raised and eyes trained on the prize, a.k.a, the fridge. She swiftly moved from the counters to rest her back against the cold, metallic surface of the freezer door. She kept her whole body glued against the door, safe from a lanky arm slowly reaching for the handle.

With the dexterity of a jewel crafter, the brunette silently opened the door far enough for the width forearm and hand to sneak its way in. She stopped all movements and melodramatically wiped the sweat, which would have been there if she was actually trying to crack a million dollar safe, off of her brow with the towel around her neck.

Her face contorted into an array of silly faces, which would undoubtedly have made Jim Carrey jealous, as she felt the inside of the door. Fingers slid around something that felt familiar and without hesitation, her hand fully wrapped around its circular shape. No, not that. She pulled it out of the stainless steel appliance without a sound, holding it up in the air with triumph.

Her fantasy was broken as, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a petite blond woman. "Oh, hey. I'm sorry, did I wake you up?" Jane asked as she cracked the water bottle open, taking a giant sized swig. _Golden syrup indeed. How can water become the best tasting liquid on this planet after a work out? Magic. It's magic. Magical Sorcery._

The doctor had been leaning against the wall in the hallway which gave her a front row view of the brunette's performance. Her hands were stuffed into the kangaroo pocket of the red pullover hoodie she was currently wearing. It looked two sizes too big for her petite frame. If this didn't tell you it wasn't hers, the massive Boston Red Sox logo would.

Yes, Maura _could_ have asked Jane what she was doing, or why she was walking around with more stealth than Houdini himself. But, she settled with assisting to the silver screen performance with a dreamy smile that all but screamed 'I am so in love with you, you crazy woman'. "No, not at all. I woke up because my body and mind felt rested enough to go through a whole day of-"

"Tending to your sick girlfriend? Fun." She finished the other woman's sentence with sarcasm, taking another swig of the cold water.

"Jane..." Maura pushed herself off of the wall, hands still hidden in the warm confines of the pocket, as she padded her way towards her girlfriend. She yawned as gracefully as a lioness waking from a nap, rubbing the sleep away from her eyes with the back of her hand.

"I'm just kid-Woah, you found my old Sox hoodie? I've been looking for it...for-fucking-ever." Jane exclaimed as excitedly as a child receiving the latest gaming console on Christmas morning.

"Oh this?" Maura looked down at herself momentarily, staring back at Jane with sleepy green eyes. "I _might_ have borrowed it a few months ago and...forgot to return it." She said with a small voice, avoiding all eye contact with her girlfriend.

"What happened to miss 'I-always-return-what-I-borrow'?" There wasn't a hint of malice in her question as she slowly approached the barely awake doctor.

"It smelled like you and..." Maura started, still looking down at her feet as her cheeks quickly changed color.

"Say no more." She lifted one hand up in front of Maura's face. "All charges of theft have been lifted on the grounds that...you're too damn cute." Jane then swiftly wrapped her arms around the doctor's waist, pulling her closer.

The blond looked up with a small smile. "Would you be so inclined to believe that I could get away with murder?" She asked with a slightly raised eyebrow.

The question made Jane chuckle. "Bring a teddy bear in court and cuddle it. I'm sure the judge would turn a blind eye even if you were guilty of genocide."

"Perfect, now I know how I'm going to get away with your murder, detective." Maura replied gleefully, poking Jane's nose before she wrapped both of her arms around the taller woman's neck.

"Don't forget to make me write my will before, making sure that I state everything that I own will be yours if I ever 'suddenly' die."

"I will, of course, marry you, as to acquire the benefits from your life insurance: a large sum of money." The petite woman continued to explain, seemingly proud of herself. Her eyes, however, were transfixed on the brunette's lips for a short while.

"I'd be worried if I didn't know you worked on hundreds of cases like these." Jane noticed Maura's eyes dip down, and she couldn't help but follow suit_. I_ _Haven't felt horny like this for months. I guess this a good sign. I'll have to ask Barb. Hey, doc, guess what? My girlfriend made me horny today. Awkward._

"I would also be... Although, it is tempting, isn't it?" Maura asked as she pulled the detective closer, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Talk cash and even _I'm_ tempted." Jane quickly breathed the sentence out before capturing Maura's lips with her own. After a minute passed she pulled back with a smile and swollen lips. "I'm going for a run." She announced.

"I'd love to join you. However, I'd have to do my asana before going and knowing how impatient you are..." She trailed off, grinning at Jane.

"I should get offended by that," The brunette raised an eyebrow, yet returned the grin. "But, you're right."

"Did you eat anything? Here," The doctor didn't wait for Jane to answer, as she could predict with 99.9 % probability that she consume anything before working out. She grabbed a red apple from the bowl of fruit that lay on the Kitchen Island, and threw it in the air at the detective. "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." Maura chided cheerfully.

"Well," She started with a smirk as she caught the apple in one hand, turning it over as to examine it. "I should round up all the apples on this planet and throw them in a volcano if that means keeping you _here_...and _not_ away."

Chuckling, the petite blonde placed a hand on her chest. "You're so romantic, plotting to destroy the existence of a fruit for me. Where have you been all my life?" She continued, melodramatically.

"Holy sarcasm. and here I thought you were a morning person." Jane winked at her girlfriend, and chucked the fruit back at her, whom caught it out of luck, looking like a frightened cat holding a foreign object between its paws. "That, _and..._I don't like apples. Besides, _these_ are my apples." She said, holding up the bottle of pills she had fetched, a la James Bond, earlier. She let two small, white pills slide in her palm and threw them in the back of her throat. She drank from her water bottle to help with the chalky texture.

"Have fun, honey, and be safe." Maura approached Jane and slipped her arms around her waist, getting on the tip of her toes in order to reach the taller woman's lips and deliver a tender kiss. "Oh! And don't eat anything on the way there, or back." _I know you all too well, Jane Rizzoli. She's going to visit Angela and of course, knowing her she'll make Jane an impromptu meal and talk about how I've been a bad girlfriend for not feeding her properly. Which is highly incorrect, if you ask me. And seeing as you're reading this, you are. _

"I expect a mountain of food when I get back." The detective kissed Maura once more. She quickly deepened the kiss and started playing with the hem of the Sox hooded sweatshirt. She lifted it slowly, and the Doctor complied, lifting her arms up to facilitate its removal. This didn't surprise Jane at all, it was her plan, after all.

After the item had been successfully taken off from the petite woman, Jane pulled back from the embrace with smirk as she slipped on the sweatshirt. "Thanks, I'll see ya later, Maur." She winked at her girlfriend, quickly grabbed her water bottle and dashed out of the house like a race horse.

"But..." Maura pouted, as the hasty brunette didn't leave her any chance to voice her disagreement. The poor woman was left in an empty house, safe for Bass (but he's one of those quiet types), without the warmth of a cotton sweatshirt. _Good, _she thought, _I will have a sufficient amount of time to plot my revenge. Mark my words, Jane Rizzoli, mark my words. _She laughed to herself, shaking her head at her own joke. _And that is what happens when you spend virtually all of your time with this woman._ Even when she's suffering from a depression, Jane is the only one who can make her feel like the happiest woman alive.


End file.
